Design shops vie to bring Euro 2008 to Scotland
Scotland's Euro 2008 Bid team has short-listed four design consultancies to pitch for the opportunity to create Scotland's submission to host football's 2008 Euro Championships in Scotland.
The Bid team - a partnership between the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Executive and UK Sport - has agreed to see presentations from Edinburgh-based consultancies Red Path, navy blue and Graphic Partners along with Elmwood, which is based in Leeds.
UEFA, the organisers of the Euro 2008 championships, will soon announce the formal criteria for hosting the tournament, which is ranked as one of the world's top three sporting spectacles.
The shortlist was drawn up after what was described as a comprehensive search culminating in an intensive three-day final interview and credentials selection process.
Simon Lyons, marketing director of the Euro 2008 Bid, said: "This Euro 2008 tournament presents a decade of opportunity for Scotland in terms of tourism and economic development. Our bidding document is absolutely critical to mounting a successful bid to host the Euro 2008 championships. These four agencies are all accomplished in their field and making the final decision will not be easy."
Elmwood already has experience of designing such bid documents after working on the English FA's bid to host the World Cup. The bidding criteria is expected to be announced at the end of this month and Scotland's Euro 2008 Bid team has until mid-February 2002 to decide whether or not it will submit a formal bid to UEFA.