Paul Broughton, founder of the Gold Coast ruby league team Titans, said Saturday following the final game at the Gold Coast’s antiquated Carrara stadium, “tomorrow I want to be part of a Gold Coast city tender for the Commonwealth Games. We have already so many great facilities in this city, but for the Games we would commission a new 60,000-seat stadium for Carrara.
“We can become the major sporting city in the world. That is what Carrara means to me now, going from a white elephant to the focal point of everything that is good in sport”.
According to goldcoast.com Broughton said he had massive support from significant sporting identities for a Commonwealth Games plan and the suggestion of another stadium for the Gold Coast. “We now have a convention centre that could handle all the indoor sports. We have a great equestrian facility, three major swimming complexes and the greatest still water in the world. It (a revamped Carrara) would be perfect for international athletics, cricket, almost everything”.
Mayor Ron Clarke said Saturday he did not have a strong opinion on the idea either way, but said there would need to be serious thought about the financial ramifications. He said, “the concept is fine, but there are a lot of ramifications. The worst thing is to have to put an athletics track around it and it becomes useless after the Games. Or it becomes very expensive to remove”.
He said there would need to be a swimming centre built and other major sports venues which the Gold Coast does not have the population to support.
Clarke said one idea would be for a joint-bid team between Brisbane and surrounding areas such as the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast to host the Games.
