Thousands to arrive for Twenty20 International cricket matches between Ireland and the West Indies

Three matches will take place on June 12, 14, and 15 at the Magheramason club, and at this month’s Environment and Regeneration Committee meeting DUP Alderman Julie Middleton said the event was a “tremendously exciting time for the club community and our whole council district”.

She asked that council support the event by providing floral arrangements, hanging baskets, and planters.

“To add to the excitement the matches are going to be televised to millions around the world,” Alderman Middleton added. “In the past our council has provided support for international matches [and] this has been warmly welcomed.

“To my knowledge, this is the only international sporting event in the council area this summer, not least one that has been televised from the lovely Faughan district to millions of spectators worldwide.

“Players, officials, and media will utilise in the region of 1,000 local hotel rooms, and spectators are estimated to be around the region of 7,500 across the three matches.”

“I don’t need to detail the boost to our local economy, the buzz that’s going to be around the area, as well as our opportunity as a council to showcase our area and district.”

Director of Environment and Regeneration, Karen Philips, said that officers been working to identify areas where council can provide support.

Ms Philips concluded: “We have identified some budget from underspend elsewhere in the wider budget, in order to try and provide some support.

“We will work with the club in order to provide that and consider what we can do in the wider area, so we will be in contact over the next couple of weeks in terms of trying to move that forward.”