Push for Adelaide to bid to host 2030 Commonwealth Games

IT’S time to get serious about launching a bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and building an indoor stadium near the Oval, a prominent businessman says.

• Submarines deal ‘like Olympics for Sydney’
• See inside the Rio Olypmics athletes’ village

SOUTH Australia needs to get serious about launching a bid for the Commonwealth Games and building an indoor stadium next to Adelaide Oval, prominent businessman Rob Gerard says.

The well-known sporting philanthropist says securing the 2030 Games would trigger a rush of transport and housing projects that would create up to 41,000 jobs.

Mr Gerard said transforming Memorial Drive into a covered stadium to host tennis, basketball and other sports was among the projects required to host the games.

It is understood Sports Minister Leon Bignell met with representatives of the Commonwealth Games Association behind closed doors on Tuesday.

Mr Gerard said the Federal Government’s decision to build Australia’s next submarine fleet in Adelaide was only part of the cure to SA’s economic woes.

“The submarines won’t fix the state but that, paired with getting the Games, could,” Mr Gerard said.

“If we don’t do it, we’re stuffed.

“(A Games bid) needs council, State Government and Federal Government signatures but it is there for the taking.”

Australian athletes at the Opening Ceremony for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Pic: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Tennis SA is in talks with the State Government about redeveloping Memorial Drive, but details of the plan are confidential at this stage but it is understood it includes designs for a multi-sports hub.

Mr Gerard said the State Government needed to seriously consider urban designer David Cooke’s study, completed in August last year, into growing SA’s economy on the back the Games.

The study, Short Term Games, Long Term Gains, said hosting the Games in Adelaide and building the required infrastructure would cost about $2.6 billion but deliver an economic boost of about $4.4 billion, including creating 41,000 jobs, over a decade.

Adelaide was beaten by Kuala Lumpur to stage the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

In 2008, the Rann Government withdrew from the race to host the 2018 Games after former treasurer Kevin Foley labelled them “a B-grade event”.

Jessica Mauboy performs during the Closing Ceremony for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Pic: Ian Walton/Getty

Mr Bignell last week said the Commonwealth Games were “not a priority at this stage”.

He would not comment on the economic modelling in Mr Cooke’s study.

“There is no update on a bid to host the Commonwealth Games,” Mr Bignell said in an emailed statement.

“The earliest Adelaide could host a Commonwealth Games is 2030, and it is not a priority at this stage given decisions on who will host those Games won’t be made until 2023.”

Sport SA president and former sports minister Michael Wright said a Games bid needed to “be put back on the noticeboard”.

Mr Wright wrote to members of parliament in February calling for the Riverbank precinct to include a new multi-million sports hub.

“It’s the right time to get it back on the agenda — there are great opportunities to open up discussions for funding,” Mr Wright said.

“It will benefit all of South Australia.”

The Opening Ceremony for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Pic: Adam Head

Adelaide Lord Mayor Martin Haese backed calls for the Games, saying it would lead to significant investment in the city and boost tourism.

“We have already seen many positive social, cultural and economic benefits as a result of the redevelopment of the Adelaide Oval, and upgrades of other sport and recreation facilities in the city could make a big difference to our community,” Mr Haese said.

Opposition sports spokesman Tim Whetstone has also backed calls for a Games bid.

“The opportunity for South Australia to host the Commonwealth Games must be seriously considered,” Mr Whetstone said.

“Hosting the Commonwealth Games would have short, medium and long-term benefits for the SA economy and any opportunity to host the Games must be closely looked at.”