NEWPORT will spend £60,000 to ensure it hosts the Wales Open snooker tournament for the next three years.

Council leader Matthew Evans and deputy leader Cllr Ed Townsend agreed to back the event at Newport Centre to the tune of £15,000 in years one and two and £20,000 in 2014/15 from the Newport Festival reserves fund.

An additional £5,000 in years one and two will also be given from the authority’s capital regional tourism fund.

The council’s financial support is needed to bridge a shortfall fromthe event sponsors.

In return the city will be advertised in the official souvenir programme, Newport Centre branding will be broadcast by the BBC, subject to its approval, the council’s logo will appear on advertising boards, posters and the booking form and the council will get 20 tickets per session.

A report to councillors says securing the event would help support the Newport Festival, promote Newport Centre as a premier sports venue and ensure world-wide media coverage for the city.

The report also notes the economic benefits to the city and estimates World Snooker books 126 hotel room nights.

A total of 4,061 tickets were sold for the 2011 event, which may have resulted in spending outside the Newport Centre, the report adds.

But Malpas councillor Bill Langsford raised concerns at the amount of funding. He said: “I am sure that, in these times, when it is anticipated Newport will lose £13 million revenue support grant from the Assembly Government, this money could be spent on more desirable things.”

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Open question

WE DO FIND it interesting that a sporting event hailed as putting Newport on the map and capable of gaining world-wide media coverage, has had to go cap in hand to the council for funding.

We can fully understand why the city council wants to retain the Wales Open snooker tournament in the city for the next three years. It does attract thousands of spectators.

And no doubt the alternative would be to lose it to Cardiff.

But the council’s justification for investing £60,000 of council taxpayers’ money over three years seems at odds with the event’s supposed success.

If the event is as attractive in publicity terms as the council says it is, then why has private sponsorship not been forthcoming.

Of course in return for its support, the city council will benefit in that it will be a visible presence in all promotional material.

And the hope is the local economy, in particular the hotel trade, will receive a boost.

But there does seem to be a strange dichotomy here.