Political fallout and antigovernment demonstrations are among the range of security scenarios envisaged by organisers preparing for the 35th America’s Cup.

“You have to facilitate peaceful protest, but you also have to facilitate the rights of others to go about their regular duties and movements,” Steve Cosham, planning co-ordinator for the event, told The Royal Gazette.

In the wake of a bitter protest over the Government’s proposed airport redevelopment, with demonstrators blocking Parliament and a subsequent police crackdown that was unprecedented in recent history, many wondered if the 35th America’s Cup risked ending up a political target.

The event has been hailed as a game-changer for the island, and “no surprises” is Mr Cosham’s motto as the security committee oversees preparations.

In a task that has not stopped since the Louis Vuitton World Series in October 2015, the team has drawn up “a comprehensive contingency plan for anything that may go wrong”, from hurricanes to hitches in transport.

“Protest action is just one of the contingencies,” said Lieutenant-Colonel William White, the former Commanding Officer of the Royal Bermuda Regiment who chairs the ACBDA security committee.

Bermuda’s successful bid to host the biggest sailing event in the world, officially announced in December 2014, was cause for a national celebration that included fireworks and a three-cannon salute.

Many selling points factored into securing the America’s Cup over rival contender San Diego — prime sailing waters, along with a location ideal for live global broadcasting.

But financial incentives also loomed large — and, with an election impending, the price tag has fuelled scepticism over an event unfamiliar to many Bermudians.

While the figure of $77 million is often cited, the Bermuda Government’s actual spending is $52 million between 2014 and 2017 — and the island has committed to a further $25 million as a guarantee against commercial sponsorship.

An economic impact assessment projected that the Cup would bring $242 million into the island.

Asked how protest action might be handled, Mr Cosham said there had been “serious discussions” that would include live exercises before the event, but encompassing a host of other possible mishaps: severe storms, oil spills on a main road, major transportation accidents or a viral outbreak on a visiting cruise ship.

“This is not as big as the Olympics, but the Olympic Games goes on for two weeks, and this is five weeks.”

Under the host agreement, Bermuda takes responsibility for delivering security for the America’s Cup, and the committee’s scope includes accommodating numerous other large-scale events coming in May and June of 2017, from tall ships to the Bermuda Heroes Weekend.

“Every agency you could think of is involved,” Colonel White said — police and fire services, Customs, the Regiment, Marine and Ports along with Maritime Operations, the Department of Corrections, and the National Police Coordination Centre in the UK, which has been drafting a security strategy since June.

Around 10,000 are anticipated in the event village at Dockyard, with the committee’s primary focus being the big weekends.

“Think of two cruise ships coming in at Dockyard,” Mr Cosham added.

“We’re not expecting everybody to come to the America’s Cup, but we’re planning for several thousand people from the cruise ships wanting to go to Horseshoe Beach or Tobacco Bay, and they will all need to go straight through the road past the America’s Cup.”

Colonel White noted that “everything we have to do during tourist season is going to continue — we’re cognisant of the fact that the America’s Cup is not the only game in town”.

“But because of the Cup, we may well get visits from internationally recognised VIPs. It is not outside the bounds of expectation that we could get a royal visit.”

With just one route into Dockyard, traffic congestion is one of the security committee’s top concerns. “That piece of infrastructure from Barnes Corner to the National Museum is going to be key to a successful delivery,” Colonel White said.

There is also planning for non-events. A low-wind or a no-wind day would be “just as disruptive as high winds”, he added, requiring an element of flexibility in the schedule.

The “no surprises” principle will include informing the public well in advance.

For example, while there will “obviously” be screening for weapons coming into the event village. Mr Cosham said visitors should know that they will not be able to bring in alcohol.

With possibly a billion people watching worldwide, Bermuda’s stakes are higher than financial commitments.

“What a great opportunity it is for us to succeed,” Mr Cosham said. “But if we don’t have it right, what an awful opportunity to fail.”