With a lot of preparation and a little luck, Edmonton may soon be playing host to athletes from around the world.
The city submitted its formal letter of intent to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games. This comes after the committee members found out 18 months ago that they would receive no funding from the federal government.
At first, this news seemed to spell the end of the dream, but once they found out about how Australia’s Gold Coast was playing host to the 2018 games using only civic and state money, the committee’s interest was rekindled.
The team put together a proposal with backing from both the Mayor and the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation. The province agreed to do its part, and the letter was submitted before the deadline.
The only other city to express an interest was Durban in South Africa.
With excellent facilities and a good deal of public interest, there is every chance that the committee will meet with success.
If the city is awarded the opportunity to host the games, the funding with be split between the city and the province, with Edmonton funding 20% and the province kicking in the rest.
The games could be a boon for the city, with 70 countries, 4,500 athletes, and 2,000 officials taking part.
One of the economic sectors that could really benefit will be companies that perform printing services. They will be able to provide all the printed materials and promotional items that will be required.
