The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Evaluation Commission is inspecting this week the two bids for the 2018 Commonwealth Games – the Gold Coast and Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper said there were issues in all areas of the Gold Coast bid that it wants clarified during its four-day inspection visit.
The areas include security, transport, sporting venues, the Commonwealth Games Village, accommodation, technology and medical services.
The Evaluation Commission members arrived Sunday night for the four-day assessment and is spending half of its time visiting venues such as Skilled Park, Metricon Stadium, and the Gold Coast Convention Centre.
The commission will then write a report advising voting delegates about the technical aspects of the bid which will be posted by October 10 on the Commonwealth Games Federation website.
Meanwhile Evaluation Commission chair Louise Martin said the Hambantota bid would have to be assessed as a “virtual bid”. She said, “the Gold Coast bid and the Hambantota bid are two very different bids”.
She added there was little built in Glasgow when she was head of the city’s bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which was successful. “We won the bid on a village that was virtual. You can’t expect to have everything there seven years out”.
Hooper said the master plan concept for the Games Village and sporting venues proposed by Hambantota had “never been seen before. People will be able to walk to all venues”.
In contrast to its four-day visit to the Gold Coast, the commission would only be in Hambantota for one day because there is just one venue built.
Goldcoast.com reports that Hambantota plans to build a mini sports city with a string of venues and accommodation and support facilities all constructed close to each other.
The winning bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games will be selected on November 11.
