RESORTS World has been shortlisted to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The UK’s venue shortlist was revealed on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 on Friday, with a guest appearance from Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl, declaring the Host City race “good to go!”
Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield have also been accepted as Shortlisted Host Cities for the Eurovision Song Contest set to take place in the United Kingdom in May 2023.
Earlier this year the venue says it has already cleared its diary so bands and singers can perform there after the show’s organisers ruled the competition cannot be held in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion.
The UK is next in line to host the competition as Sam Ryder came second with Space Man.
The country last hosted the competition in 1998 after Katrina and the Waves won the 1997 competition with Love Shine a Light.
In 1998 the event was held at the NEC Group’s then National Indoor Arena (NIA), now Utilita Arena in Birmingham.
In his weekly message Solihull Council leader, Councillor Ian Courts, said: “You will have seen in the news that “Birmingham” (actually it would be Resorts World, Solihull) has made the shortlist as one of the cities to host Eurovision in 2023.
“According to one report I read, we are second favourites.
“I think our performance as a region with the recent Commonwealth Games demonstrated just what we can do.”
Following the announcement Ukrainians have put pen to paper, creating their initial design ideas to help develop a bid logo for Birmingham that reflects Ukrainian culture, music and heritage at Birmingham’s Council House.
Guy Dunstan, managing director of NEC Group Ticketing and Arenas, said: “It’s a really important moment as Birmingham takes its first steps in creating a Eurovision bid that reflects Ukrainian culture, music and heritage.
“The city’s mixing pot of culture and community interests has enabled us to collaborate with local Ukrainian creatives who, themselves, have kickstarted our final bid here.”
