An Australian website reports that because of budgetary pressures the State Government officially ruled out Wednesday a bid from South Australia for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, in a letter to the Australian Commonwealth Games Association.
State Sport Minister Michael Wright wrote the Australian Commonwealth Games Association Tuesday blaming budgetary pressures for South Australia’s lack of interest.
There are also doubts about whether the Federal Government will support Australia bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games as it is already committed to backing Football Federation Australia’s attempt to host the World Cup in 2018.
The board of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association is meeting Thursday to decide whether to submit a bid for the 2018 Games, but reportedly is unlikely to go ahead without federal government support.
Meanwhile Perth and the Gold Coast have already indicated interest in bidding.
Prominent Adelaide businessman Robert Gerard said South Australia should consider making a bid for future Games. He said, “it would be absolutely fantastic if we could get one. We have seen what it’s done for every other city. It turned Brisbane around. Perth did very well out of it. It put Melbourne on the map. It enables a lot of your facilities to be upgraded with the total support of Australia”. He said he would serve on any committee set up to stage the Games in Adelaide.
Gerard added, “Adelaide is the only state that has never had a Games. If there is going to be a Games held in Australia then we should have that Games in South Australia”.
