Victoria to Bid for 2022 Commonwealth Games

(ATR) Victoria, British Columbia has emerged as the sole Canadian bid in the fast-tracked selection process for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The city is seeking to bring the Commonwealth Games back to the country for the first time since 1994 when Victoria last staged the Games. Leader of the Victoria 2022 bid David Black says he is confident in the city’s chances.

"We think we have a pretty good shot here...it’s Canada’s turn," Black said according to the Times Colonist newspaper. "There will be huge benefits for us if we win and very little cost."

Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) tells Around the Rings it "is delighted the City of Victoria has decided to develop and submit a Bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games".

"CGC looks forward to working very closely with the City of Victoria’s Bid Committee, and the BC and Federal governments, over the summer months to develop and submit a winning Bid," CGC president Brian MacPherson tells ATR.

"A winning Bid that aligns with, and moves forward, the Commonwealth Games Federation vision of a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Commonwealth."

Bid chief Black says Victoria provides the optimal ‘Plan B’ solution to the CGF that revoked the original hosting rights of Durban, South Africa in March 2017 due to a lack of organization and financial commitments.

"They need a city to step up quickly and preferably a city with all of the facilities in place," Black told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Victoria and Toronto, Ontario were the only two potential bidders in the country but Toronto dropped out last week following an unsatisfactory feasibility study by the city. The study was completed following a visit by the CGF to the potential 2022 bid cities in May.

"We are a good Plan B for [the CGF] because everyone in the Commonwealth Games loved coming to Victoria and we have really good facilities, so it is sort of a natural," Black said.

The CGF has asked candidate cities to declare their intention to bid by early July and submit a formal bid proposal by the end of August. The CGF has made the rounds to the other countries that have expressed interest in hosting the Games, including Australia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

The federation expects to select a new host city this fall.

Gold Coast Nearly Ready for 2018 Commonwealth Games

Leaders of the CGF Coordination Commission for the next Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia are giving rave reviews following a seventh visit to Queensland.

"The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games are on time, on budget and on track to deliver truly magical, memorable and meaningful Games," CGF vice president and CoComm chairman Bruce Robertson said in a statement.

The seventh CoComm visit is the penultimate before the Games begin in April 2018. The four-day visit focused on the final logistical preparations facing the Organizing Committee (GOLDOC) including budget, partnerships, governance, security and transport.

The CoComm was the second attended by CGF president Louise Martin. The CGF president thanked GOLDOC for all of its work.

"So much progress has been made across the partnership and I’d like to thank [chairman] Peter [Beattie], his team at GOLDOC, and the Games Partners in the Queensland Government, City of Gold Coast and the Commonwealth Games Australia for their leadership and commitment to the Games.

The eighth and final CoComm inspection will take place in December 2017 before the Commonwealth Games begin on April 4, 2018 and conclude on April 15.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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