A “once in a lifetime” concert will be held in Scotland to celebrate the opening of the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
The biggest promotions companies in the country are said to be vying for the contract to put on the concert, which will herald the start of one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments in Perthshire next year.
It is the first time in 40 years that the Ryder Cup which pits America’s top golfers against Europe’s elite pros has played in Scotland and sponsors, organisers and backers are keen to showcase the event to the world.
Up to £1.2 million of public money is expected to be ploughed into the concert, on top of the £10m already ring-fenced by VisitScotland to host the sporting tournament.
It is hoped that the show will attract the biggest names in pop, rock and traditional music to the opening of the Ryder Cup.
The concert could be broadcast live on the night and is intended to be similar in style to those seen in previous years at Ryder Cup venues such as Wales, where a mixture of national and international stars performed at the Millennium Stadium.
The show will be held in Glasgow but could encourage even more people to visit Perthshire when the tournament kicks off in the following days.
Robbie Clyde, EventScotland’s Ryder Cup project director, said: “The Ryder Cup is a huge global event and the opening concert will be the moment where the eyes of the world focus on Scotland before action gets under way at Gleneagles.
“We want to celebrate everything that is great about Scotland’s music and culture on the world stage, while incorporating the international elements that make the Ryder Cup such a special event.
“With the focus of the event in Perthshire, aspects of the Ryder Cup will be seen throughout the country and the opening concert will undoubtedly extend the excitement of the week.
“We’ve had interest from all over the world in this tender, which highlights the global opportunity we have in front of us.
“We are at the end of the tender process at the moment and within the next few weeks we’ll be finalising the contracts.”
No details have been confirmed over who is in the running to win the contract but it is expected that DF Concerts, behind T in the Park, and Unique Events, which organises Edinburgh’s Hogmany, will be topping the list of candidates.
Next year’s tournament is predicted to attract more than 45,000 spectators to Gleneagles each day when it runs from September 23 to 28.
The concert is expected to be the biggest of the 2014 Year of Homecoming celebrations and will coincide with the Scottish independence referendum, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.
Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti and Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, pictured left, joined forces to perform together at the official Ryder Cup “handover” ceremony in Chicago last year and are among the acts rumoured to be involved in the line-up.