WA: Govt unveils plan for Perth Commonwealth Games bid

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2008
WA: Govt unveils plan for Perth Commonwealth Games bid

PERTH, Aug 5 AAP - The West Australian government has announced a plan to bid for the
2018 Commonwealth Games to be held in Perth.

Premier Alan Carpenter says the Departments of Sport, Recreation and Tourism will conduct
a feasibility study into a Perth bid.

Mr Carpenter made the announcement at the site of the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth
Games in Perth at Perry Lakes Stadium.

"We're already spending the money to build a brilliant new international stadium and
a multi-purpose sports facility," Mr Carpenter said.

"We're already building a replacement for this facility here with basketball capacity...

a netball centre (and a) rugby centre.

"We're already doing the work," he said.

The Commonwealth Games Association is due to make a decision on the 2018 host city in 2011.

But Mr Carpenter says he wants to have the Perth bid organised by the beginning of next year.

Mr Carpenter said the Victorian government reaped additional economic benefits from
the Commonwealth Games in 2006 valued at $1.6 billion.

He says the cost to WA taxpayers would be a lot less because the infrastructure is
already being built.

AAP jp/tdb/maur/de

KEYWORD: COMMONWEALTH

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