Gold Coast Mayor Attempting To Save 2026 Commonwealth Games

The 2026 Commonwealth Games have been in question for months, with Victoria, Australia having pulled out as hosts of the event in July.

In 2018, the Games took place on the Gold Coast in the land down under, and mayor Tom Tate is now trying to bring them back to salvage the quadrennial event.

The Gold Coast mayor envisions a streamlined or “scaled down” version of the Games that would make it financially viable after (now former) Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews claimed the cost of the event was too high.

Andrews said the event would cost “at least $6 billion AUD and could be as high as $7 billion AUD ($5 billion USD),” and Victoria ended up paying $380 million AUD ($243 million USD) to pull out as hosts of the Games.

Tate believes they can cut that cost down significantly after the Gold Coast successfully hosted the 2018 Games at a cost of approximately $1.2 billion AUD ($757.8 USD).

“I’ve just concluded a very positive meeting with the (Commonwealth Games Federation]) Mr (Craig) Phillips (of Commonwealth Games Australia) agrees the Gold Coast is an excellent option for the Games. It is heartening for us to have a frank discussion regarding hosting the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast,” Tate told reporters.

“Of course, there is a bit of a journey to do but the key point is this: we want to salvage Australia’s reputation. Because in future years, nobody will remember Daniel Andrews and the Victorian Government, they will say ‘The Aussies are the ones who canceled the 2026 Commonwealth Games.’

“I showed them our preliminary business case which proves that a scaled-down 2026 Games can be held on the coast for around $700 million [$442 million U.S.]. This is a $2 billion-plus gift to the [southeast Queensland] economy at no monetary cost to Queensland, apart from in-kind support at the time.”

The Queensland government has previously said it is not interested in the 2026 Commonwealth Games with the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane on the horizon.

Queensland Housing Minister and Member of Parliament Meaghan Scanlon said, “I can’t say I have had a single person raise with me their desire to have the Commonwealth Games again on the Gold Coast.”

Tate will continue to pitch his plan to the Queensland government and hopes to make a bid presentation to the Commonwealth Games Federation in November.