State Government investigating merit of Adelaide bidding on 2030 Commonwealth Games
ADELAIDE could bid for the next Australian-based Commonwealth Games, due in 2030, as the State Government examines the potential economic boost of being a host city.
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ADELAIDE could bid for the next Australian-based Commonwealth Games, likely in 2030, as the State Government closely examines the potential economic boost of being a host city.
New Sport and Recreation Minister Corey Wingard has told The Advertiser he will travel to the Gold Coast next week to see what benefits flow from the 10-day athletic festival, as well as the cost of infrastructure and other upgrades needed for Adelaide to host the Games.
Advocates for an Adelaide Games say it is critical political leaders move swiftly to ensure the city is earmarked with national bodies as the next cab off the rank, and say it would unlock up to $1 billion in federal cash to create jobs and new transport and sporting infrastructure.
Bids for 2026 must be made this year, with 2030 Adelaide’s most likely chance for a Games.
Mr Wingard said the new State Government was “open to investigating the possibility of hosting the Commonwealth Games if it represents good value for SA”.
“I’ll be heading to the Gold Coast next week to have a number of meetings to further explore what would be required to bid and host the games, as well as gain a better understanding of the potential benefits for SA before any decision is made,” he said.
Prominent Adelaide businessman Rob Gerard said the Games underway on the Gold Coast should have been Adelaide’s, and SA was the only state not to have held the event.
Mr Gerard has been a longstanding advocate of SA hosting the Games, and founding chairman of the Quarter Club group that raises money to support athletes.
He said the state needed a confidence boost in the wake of the car industry closure, and the construction of new stadiums would deliver reliable construction jobs over a decade.
“My real push for the Games is really what infrastructure it causes,” Mr Gerard said.
“Imagine what the state could do with a second oval and covered stadium and redoing our velodrome and increasing the tram around the city and past the Oval.
“We’ve lost all the car industry. This would replace the workload.
“This town needs something good. I can’t believe that we don’t have a crack.”
Mr Gerard said the first key step was for Premier Steven Marshall and Lord Mayor Martin Haese to write to Australian Commonwealth Games Association and express Adelaide’s interest in having the next local event. Opposition backing should also be sought, he said.
“We need to put that in before someone else becomes enthusiastic,” he said.
Mr Gerard said winning the Association’s support would build momentum for a 2030 Games.
Lord Mayor Martin Haese said Adelaide City Council was offering in principle support for a Games bid, and he looked forward to discussing details with Mr Wingard and Premier Steven Marshall.
Adelaide was beaten by Kuala Lumpur to host the 1998 Games.
A decade later, the State Government exited the race after then-Treasurer Kevin Foley labelled it a “B-Grade event”.
Former premier Jay Weatherill revived the prospect in 2016, saying he was interested in making a bid for the 2030 Games after a close analysis of the costs and benefits.
Opposition spokesman Tom Koutsantonis on Wednesday said these types of events were on a national scale and would require co-operation between both state and federal governments.
“We’d look at it, but what we shouldn’t do is chase it simply because we haven’t had it before,” he said.
“We should only chase it if there is going to be economic benefit for SA.
“It if does stack up, we should go for it. If it doesn’t, we shouldn’t.”
Mr Koutsantonis said the former government did some detailed assessment of the state’s preparedness to host a Games, but more was needed to fully audit existing infrastructure.
He said the likely financial assistance from the Federal Government could be much less than what some people forecast, as it could “retreat” from the bid once it was officially accepted.
A 2016 report by urban designer David Cooke found hosting the Games would cost about $2.6 billion, with an economic boost of about $4.4 billion and 41,000 jobs over a decade.
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