Edmonton mulls last-minute bid for 2022 Commonwealth Games

Edmonton could launch a lastminute bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games after plans in Durban, South Africa, fell through Monday.

The news came as a surprise, but had local officials musing about the possibility.

“This raises some interesting possibilities ... but the city could not undertake this alone,” said Mayor Don Iveson.

Edmonton was the second-tolast city in the 2022 race before it pulled out in February 2015.

The games could see the indoor velodrome built more quickly and get upgrades for the Kinsman Sports Centre, an athletes’ village at Blatchford and perhaps even the LRT extension. But with no money committed from Ottawa, the province asked the city to withdraw.

Perhaps a last-minute bid could come with lower costs if the Commonwealth Games Federation agrees to a smaller games, said Iveson. Plus, “are there opportunities under the new rules for the Calgary, Edmonton corridor to work together on these events?”

City manager Linda Cochrane said it would be easy to pull the Commonwealth 2022 plans off the shelf. But they ’ll wait to hear from the Commonwealth Games Federation to see if it’s even an option.

“That’s a pretty big decision and not a slam dunk just because we were considering it before,” she said. “There’s huge upsides ... It brings the city a certain amount of recognition.”

Durban lost the games because it did not have support from the South African government. It would have been the first Commonwealth Games to be held in Africa.

According to the BBC, Liverpool and Birmingham have already both offered to host the 2022 games if necessary. Both are bidding to host the 2026 games.