The Council also announced it has appointed Ernst & Young as consultants to advise on a procurement strategy for this and other 2014 Games-related infrastructure projects.

The appointment is aimed at not only securing efficiencies but also ensuring that Glasgow and Scottish-based businesses are fully aware of the forthcoming procurement opportunities, and are gearing up accordingly.

The National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome will be a state-of-the-art venue providing:

• 5000 seat capacity designed as a flexible space that will serve as a city, regional, and national indoor training centre as well as a major international sports events venue

• three adjacent full-size training and community sports halls will serve as warm-up spaces to support the main arena, community spaces, and sports training and event spaces in their own right

• Scotland’s first purpose-built indoor velodrome that will provide for both training and international competition (2000 permanent seats), and provision within the velodrome track for a roller sport park

• a Community Sports and Leisure Centre with a dedicated community sports hall, gym, spa, crèche outdoor five-a-side pitches, dance studio and cafe

• office accommodation for sports governing bodies, and the Culture and Sport Glasgow sports development team, as well as a suite of function rooms and meeting rooms.

The Council will work in partnership with a number of organisations to increase training and apprenticeships, including John Wheatley College and the Council’s new Construction Skills Academy currently being developed at Laurieston, to meet the demand for construction jobs and leisure centre operations associated with the development.

These apprenticeships will be targeted at the East End during the construction of NISA. Once complete, it is estimated that 84 additional Culture and Sport Glasgow permanent full-time staff will be required to operate the venue.

Councillor Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The success of our bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 has presented us with the best chance in a generation, and possibly a lifetime, to improve the lives and raise the aspirations of every Glaswegian, and we want to ensure that all our citizens should have the opportunity to reap the benefit.

“The city is already enjoying huge economic success and we want to reach out to people who are missing out on sharing in that, especially some of our young people who have left school and have never found work.

 
"That's exactly what we aim to do by maximising opportunities for young people through apprenticeships during the construction of the National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome.

 
“It makes sense to use the boom in construction in the city to create opportunities for people.

“In addition, appointing Ernst & Young as consultants means we will be able to make the most of the opportunities for Scottish businesses to bid for construction-related work and to become food, drink and equipment suppliers when it’s completed.

“The Commonwealth Games are only six years away and we want to make sure companies are gearing up to make the most of these opportunities.”

He added: “The venue will also be available for community use which means local people will be able to take part in active recreation, and sports and fitness programmes, leading in turn to health benefits in one of the city’s key priority areas.”

To go to the Glasgow 2014 website, click here