State Treasurer, Rob Lucas, has stated the South Australian government will not be putting in a bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, despite the presentation of a new report detailing potential economic benefits.
“There’s nothing in this particular report which changes the government’s position, which is, we won’t be putting in a bid for the Commonwealth Games,” said the Treasurer.
The report, developed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, was announced earlier today, highlighting the benefits the Commonwealth Games may bring to Adelaide.
“Major sporting events are often seen as economically wasteful but I think there is a key opportunity here in South Australia driven by the fact that we are in an incredible period because of COVID,” said Jeremy Thorpe, Chief Economist at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“There is an opportunity to use the Commonwealth Games as an inspirational springboard through to 2026, to view recovery as a multifaceted concept.”
According to Thorpe, the economic activity could stimulate close to 21,000 new jobs, and additional tourism for South Australia.
In a press conference this afternoon, following the announcement of the report, the Treasurer referenced the research the government had previously conducted into a potential bid for the Commonwealth Games.
“We looked at it seriously, we spent a lot of taxpayers’ money, and in the end, we made the judgement that the benefits didn’t outweigh the costs, and it therefore wasn’t in the public interest for us to pursue a bid,” he said.
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