GamesBids.com: Auckland, New Zealand Won't Bid For 2018 Commonwealth Games

Auckland, New Zealand Won't Bid For 2018 Commonwealth Games
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GB Staff on Tuesday, March 16, 2010  9:15am EDT
 
There won't be a 2018 Commonwealth Games bid from Auckland, New Zealand, despite
a push by Auckland's local and regional councils, the government and the New
Zealand Olympic Committee.
Following the decision, bid feasibility group member Michael Barnett said the
feasibility study found that many long-term benefits would arise for Auckland
and New Zealand, and these would justify the $500 to $600 million costs. Barnett
acknowledged that the current economic climate makes it difficult to commit to
such a large project, but added that circumstances in 2018 are likely to be very
different.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key says the country cannot afford the
predicted $600 million losses, but games' supporters believe it could be done
with the right support.
He said it was very expensive, "and we can't see the economic payback", despite
the fact that Auckland mayors wanted to bid for the 2018 games.
Key said, "there's a wide range of issues we have to consider and in this
particular one the loss was so great we just couldn't justify it".
New Zealand's government is contributing $300 million towards the Rugby World
Cup and that is expected to make losses in the tens of millions, reports TVNZ.
New Zealand also subsidized Team New Zealand's America's Cup challenge in the
amount of $34 million.
Auckland mayors reportedly believe they could have gathered the cash over the
next eight years for the Games.
This leaves the Gold Coast that announced Monday its intentions to bid, and
Abuja, Nigeria.  A decision on the 2018 Commonwealth Games host city is expected
to be announced before the end of 2011.