With just under a year before the announcement is made as to who will host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the two candidate cities have made a hard publicity push including launching their official websites.
The Commonwealth will be under a lot of pressure to revamp and very carefully consider their selection criteria after the 2010 debacle in Delhi that included huge terrorism concerns, unsafe facilities, and even life-threatening illnesses. Many of the Commonwealth’s sporting superstars, like Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, Australian tennis player Lleyton Hewitt, and British tennis player Andy Murray, were so concerned that they chose to stay home from the event which lost some of it’s luster as one of the world’s top inter-Olympic sporting festivals.
The Gold Cost, Australia (official bid page) is a popular tourist spot just south of Brisbane on Australia’s East Coast, and at 400,000 inhabitants is Australia’s largest non-capital city.
They have adopted a bid slogan of “It’s our time to shine,” making allusions to the sunny weather and moderate climates that they experience most of the year. The Gold Coast is host to Australia’s largest professional surf livesaving service, which lends credence that they would have the knowledge and the resources to put on an exceedingly safe event.
The other bid, which is a little more peculiar, comes from Hambantota, Sri Lanka (official bid page). Sri Lanka is an island off of the southeast coast of India, and the Hambantota District is the home of the country’s current president. The city of Hambantota, however, has a tiny population of only 13,000 people, with 96% of the district’s (similar to a state) 500,000 strong population living in rural areas. The city is running on a slogan of “Adding Colours to the World of Sports.”
The city was devestated by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and much of it’s population and infrastructure was wiped out. What’s more, the districts unemployment rate sits at about 13%, which is well above the national average.
The area is undergoing a large-scale rebuilding project, however, including the construction of a $20 billion dollar production studio to stimulate a movie and television production industry, and the construction of an $8 million, 25,000 seat cricket stadium that will host some matches of the 2011 Cricket World Cup. That event, which will begin in February, will be a huge event for the city to demonstrate that they have the infrastructure, manpower, and knowledge to run large-scale sporting events.
This bid will come down to whether the Commonwealth is willing to take a risk. With the Gold Coast, you know what you’re getting: A city with a large population that already has a reputation and ability to accomadate large numbers of visitors. It is also supported by a nearby, even larger metropolitan city of Brisbane. In Hambantota, you’re picking a city on potential, as the city is making huge investments in its economic future.
My gut feeling is that this selection will be made as a reaction to the Delhi Games and that the Aussie’s are a heavy favorite. But with political pressures and other non-sporting factors in play, never count out the underdog in decisions like these.
The decision will be made on November 10, 2011. The 2014 Games will be hosted by Glasgow, Scotland.