1. The Significance of Sports in Peterborough’s Economic Future Tom Phillips September 10, 2011.

2. Introduction The traditional, simple economic impact of sports,
Look at sports as one component of a complex foundation of social institutions upon which community development and economic growth are built,
A time of ‘transformation,’ with opportunities that can be engaged or ignored.

3. Sports as Part of the Foundation for Economic Growth
Three primary components:
Facilities (the easiest of the three to accomplish)
Participation (in a growingly diverse array of sports - e.g., the new sports at the Winter Olympics)
Excellence (from organizational integrity to generally recognized accomplishment - within the community and outside it).

4. The Building Blocks Physical development, health, and discipline,
The expression and development of creativity,
Learning what it takes to succeed in a competitive setting that can lead to individual, group/team, and community successes in other aspects of life and work,
Confidence, pride, and recognition from performance and accomplishment,
A shared sense of identity – individually and collectively (at the organizational and community levels).

5. For Sports to Contribute to Peterborough’s Economic Growth
Building new facilities is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition;
The diversity of future opportunities and experience must expand;
People’s participation is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition ;
Organizational and performance innovation, creativity, and excellence is the sufficient condition;
Meeting all the conditions will contribute to success in all aspects of the community, differentiate ourselves from other communities, and help ‘brand’ the community.