Courts, pitch, pool go head, regional 2026 Commonwealth Games scrapped

UPDATE: Armstrong Creek, Waurn Ponds, Torquay and Corio will benefit from Commonwealth Games funding despite the state government pulling out of the event. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Major sporting infrastructure will be delivered across Geelong despite the 2026 Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria being scrapped, the state government says.

On Tuesday the state government severed its agreement to host the games due to rising costs, predicted to be up to $7bn if the Games went ahead.

The Geelong sport projects, expected to be worth millions, will be paid for using some of the $2.6bn the state government earmarked for the Games.

An indoor sporting complex at Waurn Ponds, including six multi-purpose courts, a regional-level gymnastics area and a dance studio.

In Armstrong Creek a civic plaza and a “permanent” aquatics centre including an enclosed swimming pool and four indoor sports courts are due to be built.

The government said a training pitch and permanent seating at Banyul-Warri Fields in Torquay, and a pavilion, pitch and seating upgrade for hockey at Stead Park, Corio were also in the pipeline.

It is unclear if the Armstrong Creek, Waurn Ponds, Corio and Torquay projects will be delivered by 2026.

Asked if council could manage the Armstrong Creek aquatic facility and the Waurn Ponds sport complex, City of Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan said: “We’re still looking for the finer details on what that build will look like. There were original legacy plans that were put out, whether that is what the government will end up funding in the end we still don’t have certainty about.”

The decision to scrap the Commonwealth Games in Victoria has been criticised by the state opposition and sporting bodies.

Renders for 2026 Commonwealth Games arenas and stadiums, Armstrong aquatics, Geelong Picture: Supplied

Victorian opposition leader John Pesuto said: “The cancellation of the Commonwealth Games is hugely damaging to Victoria’s reputation as a global events leader. Instead of a lasting legacy of housing, sporting and community infrastructure, Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan’s botched Games will only leave a legacy of failure and missed opportunities.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said $2.6bn budget for the games would be put into regional Victoria and include building community sporting facilities, $1bn for social and affordable housing, and tourism support.

It is not clear how many social and affordable homes will be built in the Geelong region but the state government said 1300 would be built across across regional Victoria.

About $150m is due to be spent on regional tourism from funding previously allocated to the Games.

Commonwealth Games athlete villages sites, Geelong Village Location 70 Boundary Road, Mount Duneed and 2-80 Muir Road, Mount Duneed 17 hectares

Mr Andrews said “$6bn to $7bn” was “well and truly too much for a 12-day sporting event”.

“It does not represent value for money. The is not a difficult decision in many respects.”

Regional Development Minister Harriet Shing said: “We’ll deliver all the housing, sports infrastructure and tourism legacy benefits for our regions – but without the massive extra cost of hosting the Games.”

In March City of Greater Geelong Deputy Mayor Anthony Aitken said council would need to consider lifting rates and increase its borrowing capacity if it had to be involved in delivering the Games.

“Council may have to actually borrow funds to spread the costs associated with the Commonwealth Games across future generation,” Mr Aitken said at the time.

“At some stage we will have to look at rate capping, councils may need to... put a proposition to the state government that we do need to seek an exemption from the rate capping to actually pay for our contributions towards the Games.”

The Games were due to be held from March 17 to 29, 2026 across Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton.

The Geelong region was due to host swimming, diving, beach volleyball. rowing, T20 cricket, golf, gymnastics, hockey, triathlon, weightlifting and some para events.

An athletes village was due to be built at Waurn Ponds and turned into affordable housing after the games.

The closing ceremony was due to be held at GMHBA Stadium.

In May 2022 the state government said it would spend $2.6bn on the Commonwealth Games

via $36m in 2021-22; $222.6m in 2022-23; $467.1m in 2023-23; $705.7m in 2024-25, $1.15bn in 2025-26 and $50.53m in 2026-27.

By March this year the state government was chasing a 50-50 funding split for the Games with the federal government.

Mr Andrews wouldn’t reveal how much the government was likely to pay Commonwealth Games organisers as a result of its decision to pull out of hosting.

$1bn boost social and affordable housing in regional Victoria.

Originally published as Courts, pitch, pool go head, regional 2026 Commonwealth Games scrapped