Sport events and community development: resident considerations and community goals

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to provide a discussion on using sport events for community development through the lenses of community development theories and perceived event impacts.Design/methodology/approachThe nature of the paper was not based on a specific methodology or design, rather on a review of relevant studies that aim to support strategies of how to develop a community through the hosting of sport events utilizing community development theories.FindingsThe review revealed that the profile of the community could influence the use of asset or needs-based community theory to achieve community development goals associated with hosting certain size of sport events.Originality/valueThe combination of community development theories with the literature in sport event impacts and legacies provides a novel approach to the discussion of community development through sport events.