Edinburgh Council set to spend £1.7m on Tour de France
Up to £1.7 million should be drawn from the city's financial reserves and put towards the 2027 Tour de France, according to plans set to go before Edinburgh councillors for sign-off on Thursday.
Both the men's and women's races are set to begin in the UK in 2027, with the men's race beginning in Edinburgh.
A report on unaudited council accounts for the past financial year contains an ask for up to £1.7m to be spent on the race from council reserves, with plans to backfill the spend with money from the city's upcoming Visitor Levy.
The report does not specify what the money will be used for, but it says the council has been in 'confidential discussions' with the Scottish Government and VisitScotland about hosting the event.
The SNP group has tabled an amendment to the unaudited accounts, which if approved by councillors would see the spending request denied.
The 2027 running of the Tour de France will be the first time both the men's and the women's race start in the same country, where that country is not France.
Edinburgh has never hosted any part of the race before, but it has come to the UK four times: in 1974, 1994, 2007 and 2014.
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
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