Posted on May 30: Canada Lodges Formal Bid Document For 2010 Commonwealth Games

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/cw2010DN.jpg” caption=”Hamilton 2010 Logo”]

Canada's Bid Team today delivered its formal bid in London for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Representatives from the City of Hamilton, the University, the Hamilton Spectator, and the provincial and federal governments who are involved in the bid traveled to London to officially submit their bid book to the Commonwealth Games Federation. A small contingent of McMaster alumni living in London joined in the excitement of the ceremony.

The 150-page book contains all the details and specifics of the Hamilton bid. That includes everything from the menu of sports to be offered to the look and feel of the athletes' village. The bid also contains details on how the games and new facilities that would be built to accommodate the games will be funded. To date, the City of Hamilton has committed $80 million to the project and the University is providing support valued at $50 million. Both the provincial and federal governments have pledged $250 million each for the project.

“This would be just a huge launching point for the province,” Jagoda Pike, president of the Hamilton 2010 bid corporation, said after the city made its 20-minute presentation to the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Hamilton is trying to host the Games for a second time. The first event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held there in 1930, and 2010 would mark the 80th anniversary of the international competition.

Pike said the fact Hamilton was the birthplace of the Games is important to the city.

“It has huge sentimental value,” she said. “As much as it was for Athens to get the Olympics back to Athens, that's how strongly we feel about it.”

University Advancement vice-president Roger Trull is leading McMaster's involvement in the Games bid and assisting with the international lobby effort. “Hamilton and McMaster are strong partners in this bid and we are confident that the bid package we have submitted will be successful. The Games will bring tremendous benefits to both Hamilton and McMaster, the transformation both on and off campus will be magnificent and virtually unparalleled,” says Trull.

With the submission of the bid book, Hamilton proceeds to the international round of competition against New Delhi, which is also competing for the right to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The selection of the host city, to be voted on by all 72 Commonwealth member countries, will be announced on November 13 at the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly meeting in Jamaica.