By Gary Anderson

The Opening Ceremony of Glasgow 2014 will take place at Celtic Park in 50 days time ©Glasgow 2014With just 50 days to go until the start of the Glasgow 2014, Scottish Sports Minister Shona Robison has vowed that they are on track to deliver the greatest Commonwealth Games in history.

Preparations for the Games, due to take place from July 23 until August 3, are on time and on budget, according to organisers.

It is also claimed communities across Scotland are already benefiting from more than 50 Legacy 2014 programmes which include regeneration projects, apprenticeships and sports participation campaigns.

"As we celebrate 50 days to go until the start of the XX Commonwealth Games, this is the perfect opportunity to highlight just how ready we are to deliver a truly spectacular event," said Robison.

"We are on track to deliver the best Commonwealth Games in history.

"This is the biggest sporting and cultural event Scotland has ever hosted and all organising partners have been working tirelessly over the past seven years to get us to this stage."

The Scottish Government claimed modern apprenticeships are up by almost 9,000 to 35,582 in 2013-2014 since Glasgow was awarded the Games in 2007, compared to 26,614 in 2008-2009.

Earlier this year, Glasgow was named the eighth best sporting city in the world in the SportBusiness Ultimate Sports City poll, based on the size and volume of events hosted by a city along with a range of other criteria including accommodation and security.

Glasgow made the top 10 in 2012 when London took the title.

The Glasgow 2014 legacy programme was launched in 2009 and is a 10-year plan aimed at achieving a lasting social and economic legacy for Scotland following the hosting of its biggest-ever sporting event.

The Scottish Government and a range of national partners say they hope to achieve this by focussing on four areas - using the Games to contribute to the growth of the Scottish economy; help get more people physically active; strengthen connections at home and internationally through culture and learning; and demonstrate environmental responsibility through helping communities live more sustainably.

The Emirates Arena is one of a number of new venues built in Glasgow for this year's Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images The Emirates Arena is one of a number of new venues built in Glasgow for this year's Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images



Robison also highlighted the regeneration of Glasgow, in particular the East End of the city, which is home to a number of newly-built venues, including the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome as well as the Athletes' Village.

"The economic impact of the Games is already being felt as new sporting venues and homes have been built, jobs have been created, and more young people are working in modern apprenticeship schemes that will provide them with essential skills for their working lives," said Robison.

"We are also seeing people across the country become more active as the Games inspire more people to get involved in sport and physical activity.

"While we wish our athletes every success, the Games are much more than medals - it's a catalyst for regeneration, innovation and for sustainable economic growth.

"With only 50 days to go to the Opening Ceremony, I'm delighted to say that Scotland is ready to welcome the world for the greatest Games ever."

More than 4,500 athletes from more than 70 Commonwealth nations and territories are expected in Glasgow for the Games, which are set to get underway at Celtic Park with the Opening Ceremony on July 23.

Around one million tickets were made available for the 11-days of action across 13 venues for the Games, with organisers claiming that more than 90 per cent were sold by the end of last year.

But, despite Robison's promise of a "truly spectacular" event, last month saw the sale of the last remaining 100,000 tickets beset by technical problems, leading to the temporary shutting down of the official ticketing website.

There are still tickets remaining for a number of events and sessions during the Games.

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