Local media reports that the city of Hamilton submitted a letter of intent to Commonwealth Games Canada Friday to bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The municipal government endorsed the official creation of a Hamilton bid committee and will spend up to $400,000 for the bid effort.
A member of the Hamilton 2002 bid committee that narrowly lost the 2010 Commonwealth Games to New Delhi India, Dr. Peter George said, “if we don’t compete, of course, Calgary or Toronto (two other Canadian cities) will have it over us”.
The city will spend $275,000 to launch the bid, take $65,000 in surplus funds from the 2010 Commonwealth Games fund and use $60,000, which it expects will be contributed by the private sector.
For the international part of the bid process it could cost the city about $1.4 million, which the city spent in 2002.
Based upon figures from the 2002 Manchester Games Adames said Hamilton could enjoy an economic injection of about $1.4 billion; federal and provincial financial contributions of more than $630 million; $400 million in sports facilities upgrades; new jobs and an enhanced city image from hosting the event.
Adames said Hamilton could become the sports hub of Ontario and Canada.
