The seaside and spa town of Scarborough is set to host a stage of next year's Tour de Yorkshire, if the local council agrees to stump up a £135,000 contribution to the cost.
Welcome to Yorkshire and the Amaury Sport Organisation, owner and organiser of the Tour de France, have suggested Scarborough could host a stage start on Foreshore Road on the the town's South Bay, according to The Scarborough News.
The Tour de Yorkshire will be run from Friday May 1 to Sunday May 3, and it's suggested that Scarborough would be the start of the middle stage on Saturday, May 2.
The council will need to pay an estimated £135,000 in host town fees and the cost of infrastructure and support, but they don't have long to decide.
To get everything in place by May 2, organisers need a decision by December 22.
The council's director of service delivery, Andy Skelton believes the race is likely to bring more economic benefit into the town than it will cost.
In a report, which will go before cabinet members next Wednesday, he said: “In terms of benefits to the borough, it is difficult to quantify these in terms of a financial value. Comparisons can be drawn with Armed Forces Day which delivers an estimated induced economic input to the area of £770,000.
"The key factors as suggested by Welcome to Yorkshire are up to 900,000 additional spectators over the three-day event and television coverage on terrestrial TV and across Europe.
"In addition, there is the opportunity to showcase the area as a destination and add to the growing enthusiasm and participation in the sport of cycling in the UK.
"These benefits are likely to exceed by some margin the cost of £135,000 to the borough council.”
