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The 2030 Commonwealth Games need a host location. The 2026 Games have been awarded to Victoria, Australia — the state, rather than a city as is typical. Perhaps the price tag to host is getting out of reach. Geelong’s (pop, 253,000) deputy mayor Anthony Aitken is already sounding the warning bells that the state needs to up its support.
Edmonton, the capital city of the province of Alberta, originally looked at submitting a bid for 2022, then the 2026 Commonwealth Games and now may seek to bid on the 2030 edition in partnership with Calgary.
Edmonton hosted the 1978 Commonwealth Games and 2001 World Athletics Championships. Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.
Falling oil values was the reason for the withdrawl in 2015 for the 2022 Games bid by Edmonton.
Both cities have population totals at approximately one million and are conveniently located just 300 kilometres apart or a very short plane ride. Hamilton, Ontario was going to bid on the 2030 Games however, pulled out due to a lack of support from the province of Ontario.
The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games needed £778 million or $1.2 billion CDN in public funding to take place. This is the same value that was put on Hamilton’s bid.
Professor Moshe Lander an economist told Global TV, “I don’t really envision that we are going to see a single city try and digest these events.”
“I do know that we have a very active group in our community that would like to see the Commonwealth Games come here,” Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek told Calgary CTV.
She did not commit to Calgary being part of a bid or whether she’s had conversations with the provincial government about supporting a bid.
“If the Commonwealth Games becomes something that council needs to discuss, we will give you information in due course,” she said.
Perhaps an Edmonton-Calgary Games, like Victoria 2026 will be branded Alberta 2030 and therefore the province would be looked to step in with the billion-dollar support.