Hamilton Commonwealth Games bid team says it doesn't need millions from the city after all
CBC
A group bidding to bring the Commonwealth Games to Hamilton in 2030 says it doesn't need city money for venues anymore, despite earlier plans showing the city would need to hand over millions to make the project happen.
Lou Frapporti, bid committee spokesperson for Hamilton100, says the idea of using tax dollars for the games bid obviously isn't a popular one with people. So his team plans to use private money to pay for nearly all of the costs in the bid.
"We are no longer seeking the city's help and support," Frapporti told the city's general issues committee Wednesday.
"The initial funding request for sports infrastructure, we're almost entirely going to privatize in a variety of ways."
If the city wants to include an initiative in the games bid, "we would entertain that suggestion or proposal and work with you," Frapporti said. But, "there will be no requests for funding."
That's a change from earlier plans for the bid to the international Commonwealth Games Federation.
The group originally planned to bid for the 2030 games. That year will be the centennial anniversary of the games, which were held for the first time in Hamilton in 1930, though then called the British Empire Games.