A group of community leaders has successfully resurrected the conversation about Hamilton hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
City Councillors have asked senior staff to report back with details about the bidding process, the risks and rewards and needed venues if Hamilton were to host the games.
At this point, “Hamilton 100” which is a group of sport and business leaders, is footing the bill for the exploration.
Spokesman P.J. Mercanti says “Hamilton 100” would cover the cost of the bid itself and is “not asking the city for any financial resources.”
Stoney Creek Coun. Brad Clark, based on that reassurance, says there’s no downside to taking a look.
LISTEN: Commons Group CEO P.J. Mercanti and CEO of Fox 40 International Ron Foxcroft talk about Hamilton’s 2030 Commonwealth Games bid
Clark adds that “it may be a pie-in-the-sky dream when we’re done, or it may be something that is completely reasonable, pragmatic and practical. I don’t know and I can’t know that without a report.”
Ward 4 Coun. Sam Merulla is also singing a different tune from two years ago when city council decided that it wasn’t interested in making a bid.
Merulla called the idea “a basket of lunacy” in 2017, but is now calling it “a basket of opportunity” to leverage investments in things like affordable housing.
It’s believed that Hamilton would have a competitive advantage in bidding to host the 100th anniversary of the Commonwealth Games in 2030, since it hosted the first games in 1930. In those days, they were called the British Empire Games.
The CEO of Commonwealth Canada was also on hand to answer questions from Hamilton’s general issues committee on Wednesday morning.
Brian MacPherson estimates the cost of hosting the games would be in the range of $1.5 billion, with the federal government expected to pick up half of the cost.
He indicates that the municipality and other local sources, through fundraising and private-sector contributions, would be responsible for between 10 and 20 per cent of the total cost.
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