Birmingham's 2022 CWG Bid Could Involve Expansion Of Diamond League Venue

Plans to create the U.K.'s "largest permanent athletics stadium are at the heart of Birmingham's bid" to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, according to the BBC. The Diamond League venue, used by U.S. athletes ahead of the 2012 Olympics, could increase capacity to 50,000, "with a permanent capacity of 25,000." A final decision "will be made before the end of the year." The stadium, already the administrative home for UK Athletics, has a capacity of more than 12,000 and the city council said that 95% of proposed competitive venues "were already in place." As well as hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, "it would be the athletics venue" for the Games. Its proposed 25,000-seat plan would match that of Edgbaston Cricket Ground (BBC, 6/20).