Hambantota 2018

[Sir Rols 1892]

Gold Coast has rival for 2018 Commonwealth Games

Posted April 1, 2010 14:35:00

The Gold Coast is competing against the Sri Lankan city of Hambantota to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games Federation says they are the only cities to meet yesterday's deadline for nominations.

The federation says the GFC General Assembly will meet in St Kitts and Nevis in October next year to choose the host city.

ABC News

[GBModerator 184]

According to Wikipedia, this is a rural town that are just now building a 25,000 seat cricket stadium. The overall region has 500,000.

Anyone else know more?

[Mau2010 5]

At first sight Hambantota looks like a small city, but with a lot of ambition to grow up I saw that they want to also build airports and many infrastructure which will help this city to develop and having a great bid.

It would be interesting to see Sri Lanka hosting a Commonwealth Games event, but Gold Coast looks like a really strong city to win the bid, so let's see what happens.

[Sir Rols 1892]

According to Wikipedia, this is a rural town that are just now building a 25,000 seat cricket stadium. The overall region has 500,000.

Anyone else know more?

That's all about I could find myself. There was a couple of nice pics:

Oh, and there's a Hambantota dating site.

[Sir Rols 1892]

Coast to battle Sri Lanka for Games

The Gold Coast will compete against the Sri Lankan city of Hambantota to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Nigerian city of Abuja failed to lodge its bid by the deadline of March 31, the Commonwealth Games Federation says.

Australian Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Perry Crosswhite said Sri Lanka will put up a competitive proposal

against the Gold Coast bid.

''We certainly welcome the bid by Sri Lanka and it's disappointing about Nigeria,'' Mr Crosswhite said.

''Nigeria's a very strong sports nation and I don't know why they didn't bid in the end, but there's reports of some unrest there, certainly political unrest.

''Sri Lanka is a strong sports-loving nation, just look at the cricket and some of the other various events.

''They're going to put a good bid up.''

Nigerian news service Next reported the country's acting president Goodluck Jonathan had removed national sports commission chairman Sani Ndanusa from his position and pulled his country out of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Confirmation was being sought from the federation.

Mr Crosswhite said the Sri Lankan government is developing Hambantota as a sports hub.

''I've no doubt they're on a mission that will certainly test us, for sure,'' he said.

The Gold Coast's formal bid was signed by Australian Commonwealth Games Association president Sam Coffa, Queensland

Premier Anna Bligh and Gold Coast mayor Ron Clarke on Wednesday.

The state government will spend $11 million on its bid and invest more than $1 billion in infrastructure over the next eight years, including an upgraded aquatic centre, new velodrome and athletes' village.

The winning bid will be announced in November 2011.

Melbourne was the last Australian host of the Games in 2006.

The next Games are in Delhi in October this year and Glasgow in 2014.

AAP

[Aronious 37]

Some crack pot local identity/business man is about to waste a lot of time and money trying to get this off the ground.

The Games will loose all credibility if the Games are awarded to this "city".

Its doubtful Sri Lanka could host the Games at all, let alone in this less important, partially rural area.

oh, and just a note.....it is april fools day after all.....hmmm

[baron-pierreIV 1681]

And the tamil Tigers have given their implicit approval?

Hambantota must have Tulsa advisers.

[thatsnotmypuppy 558]

The Tamil areas of Sri Lanka are in the far north - Hambantota is on the far southern coast. I think that the bid is not a collosal waste of money - it may help speed up funding for rebuilding efforts since the town was basically wiped off the map due to the 2004 tsunami and the bid - good or bad - will bring a measure of attention to the area.

There is no way the CGF will award Sri Lanka the Games - even Colombo would be a stretch.

I was hoping for a surprise last minute bid from Asia - maybe Singapore or even Malaysia - Kota or KL. I know there was some talk of a bid last time I was in KL - but ah well. Another CGs to attend on home soil!

[Alexjc 354]

Umm...This isn't an April Fools Day prank is it?

[thatsnotmypuppy 558]

Nope - multiple sources confirm it - however let's see if Hambantota coughs up the registration fee in a couple of weeks.

[ard72 28]

Hambantota - sounds like some sort of medical disease

[Rafa 43]

April 1

[GBModerator 184]

April 1

This information comes from a CGF press release - I don't think they would be joking around about this.

[Rafa 43]

I know. but perhaps Fennel has a sense of humour after all.

[Sir Rols 1892]

I know. but perhaps Fennel has a sense of humour after all.

No, Mo. Even Sri Lanka is reporting it now ... with as much information as anywhere else:

Sri Lanka face competition from Australia to host 2018 Commonwealth Games

ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Apr 01, Colombo: Sri Lanka's city of Hambanthota will have to compete against Gold Coast of Australia to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games Federation said Thursday that only the Gold Coast and Hambantota had met the March 31 deadline to notify their intention to bid for the hosting rights.

A formal proposal to host the game has to be submitted to the Federation next year and the Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission will visit the proposed cities to evaluate the facilities and venues.

The CGF assembly will vote on a final decision in November 2011 to award the 2018 games.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be in New Delhi in October while Glasgow will host 2014 games.

Colombo Page

Is this the most surprising "Suprise Bid" of all time? C'mon, I'd heard of Tulsa at least.

[Rafa 43]

Maybe Hambanonathaparangatarunga will hire me.

[Alexjc 354]

If this IS for real, have the CGF allowed Hambantota to gather bid support just to make it look good next year. i.e. a proper bid race instead of a hand over to yet another Australian city?

[kushil 0]

I was shocked too.. hence i found this Forum after googling

i am as Sri Lankan living in brisbane Aus (20 min drive to gold coast), this city is Sri Lanka Presidents Home City and he is already building sri lanka's second international air port and massive port. You might wonder where the money comes from.... one word CHINA, Everything is funded by china ...

I know it is long shot for hambanthota even Colombo will be a hard bid as basic infrastructure is just not there.... but as long as chine is there to fund.. anything is possible..

Slightly out of topic, Chinese really need a strong Navel / commercial port / base just underneath India (part of there world domination plan in lets say 20 -25 years from now) so they not only gave arms and unlimited amount of fund to totally wipe out the Tamil tigers, but also to develop the south as well (where international shipping routes are... look at hambanthota in a google earth)

[stryker 52]

I'm not all that familiar with the Commonwealth Games but will the CWGF (I think that's right) even accept the Sri Lanka bid? Seems to me that this bid would be the equivalent of Kabul bidding for the Olympics.

[Sir Rols 1892]

If this IS for real, have the CGF allowed Hambantota to gather bid support just to make it look good next year. i.e. a proper bid race instead of a hand over to yet another Australian city?

I'm pretty sure if the CGF had been scrambling to get a rival up for the Gold Coast, they could have come up with something ... anything ... better. Trinidad staying in the race would have been more credible. Singapore with the YOGs behind them might have been enticed if the CGF were out twisting arms.

But then again, maybe the Sri Lankan President's number was on the CGF's speed-dial. Hmmmmmm?

If anything, I think the Gold Coast is an accidental (presumed) host who was encouraged to bid to insure against a no-contest for Abuja. The Australian CGA has said they hadn't really intended to bid if NZ or Canada had shown interest, and both the OZ and NZ associations were in close cahoots over their respective bids all the way through. GC only committed when they got word Auckland was definitely out.

I think a lot of potential bidders got spooked by the idea that Nigeria was going to bid, and would probably be the strong chance to win the vote this time. But Abuja 2018 just got forgotten amidst the power vacuum in Nigeria of the past months. The Nigerians blind-sided everybody.

And Australia, in the tradition of Steven Bradbury, scored another (probable) surprise "Last Man Standing" Gold.

Edited April 2, 2010 by Sir Roltel

[Jim856796 90]

I was expecting Abuja to bid for and win the right to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but it looks like that's not going to happen, let them bid for the 2022 event. Hambantota came out of nowhere to bid for this event. I thought it was an April Fools Day joke, but several sources have confirmed it as a legitimate bid. hambantota is a small town of 12,000 and they are constructing a 25,000-seat cricket stadium for the 2011 Cricket World cup. What other sports facilities will they construct should they win the bid for the Games? A Commonwealth games in that city is unlikely to happen. Colombo should bid for a future Commonwealth Games.

Gold Coast is the only good city that is likely to win the rights to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, although it will be 12 years after Melbourne in 2006. They have a proposed main venue in a redeveloped Carrara Stadium. Another facility they have is Skilled Park. Gold Coast will need to build an indoor arena, a few gymnasiums, and a velodrome for the Games.

Have several cities of the Commonwealth lost interest in bidding for future Commonwealth Games?

[Alexjc 354]

I was shocked too.. hence i found this Forum after googling

i am as Sri Lankan living in brisbane Aus (20 min drive to gold coast), this city is Sri Lanka Presidents Home City and he is already building sri lanka's second international air port and massive port. You might wonder where the money comes from.... one word CHINA, Everything is funded by china ...

I know it is long shot for hambanthota even Colombo will be a hard bid as basic infrastructure is just not there.... but as long as chine is there to fund.. anything is possible..

Slightly out of topic, Chinese really need a strong Navel / commercial port / base just underneath India (part of there world domination plan in lets say 20 -25 years from now) so they not only gave arms and unlimited amount of fund to totally wipe out the Tamil tigers, but also to develop the south as well (where international shipping routes are... look at hambanthota in a google earth)

Welcome to Games Bids 'kushil', Ahh yes...China.

[Alexjc 354]

Gold Coast is the only good city that is likely to win the rights to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, although it will be 12 years after Melbourne in 2006. They have a proposed main venue in a redeveloped Carrara Stadium. Another facility they have is Skilled Park. Gold Coast will need to build an indoor arena, a few gymnasiums, and a velodrome for the Games.

I don't see an issue if Australia hosts again, if we wanted to get technical, this would be Queensland's second hosting after 36 years. No issue really, Gold Coast DID wait as back up to Auckland so NZ will fully back that city.

Have several cities of the Commonwealth lost interest in bidding for future Commonwealth Games?

I think many of the larger Commonwealth cities are now turning towards the Olympics while mid sized, such as Auckland, are going through an infrastructure growth spurt as they turn into global top tier cities.

As for the likes of Hambanthota, the whole Games set up NEEDS to be looked at. They are far too expensive for the status they now have in the world. I think this little city is going to be treated as 'in the race' while the CGF hope for another crediable city fronts up.

Hambanthota needs to be credited for at least raising it's hand. AND thats a good card to hold for the future. This city will become a modern metropolis as built in the Emirates style of ground up rebuild. Maybee 2022?

[baron-pierreIV 1681]

I hope Hambantota plsy the "It's our time; never before in Sri Lanka" card. That's their best bet!

[Dinhu4ever 27]

Am I the only one who's dying to see how the voting round would turn out to be? How many mambers does the CWG governing body have?