Gold Coast to Bid for Commonwealth Games

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has announced that the Queensland Government is to submit a bid for the Gold Coast to host the Commonwealth games in 2018.
Speaking of the planned bid Premier Bligh advised that âwe have formally contacted the Australian Commonwealth Games Association to express our interest. They have indicated that in the next few months they will decide whether Australia will bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games or future Commonwealth Games so I was keen to put our hand up early.
"We will now set up a local Committee to work on our bid and to champion the cause.
The Queensland Premier added that âwe already have some of the infrastructure foundations in place for a bid - the $160 million Skilled Park Stadium, the $141 million Convention and Exhibition Centre and this year alone we are spending another $127 million to extend the Gold Coast railway from Robina to Varsity Lakes.�?
A successful bid would include the development of a new aquatics centre and athletics stadium.
The bidding process for the 21st Commonwealth Games will begin in 2010 with the Australian Commonwealth Games Association notifying the Commonwealth Games Federation of the intended bid city from Australia.
The formal lodgement of bids to the Commonwealth Games Federation will be in 2011 and the Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission then visits the bid cities and produces a detailed report. The Gold Coast bid will face stiff competition from Perth and Canberra, which have already announced their intentions to bid.
Queensland also plans to submit a future Olympics bid, Premier Bligh stating âit will probably be 20 or 30 years down the track but if we are successful with the Commonwealth Games it will certainly put in place the foundations for a successful Olympics."