Council debates risk of Games bid

Coun. Brad Clark says he has ‘concerns about the finances’ but still backs the proposal so far

The city is encouraged to formally ask the Ontario government to endorse Hamilton 100’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games — but some councillors are concerned about what impact the $1-billion-plus event could have on the municipality.

Coun. Brad Clark suggested fellow elected officials to ask the province to pen a letter to accompany the private group’s pitch to Commonwealth Games Canada by March 9.

But Clark said he’s “prepared to jump off the bandwagon” should the estimated $1.4-billion event saddle the city with too much debt.

“At this point, I still have concerns about the finances,” Clark said Wednesday night, before council gave a final nod to support Hamilton 100’s bid with its own letter of endorsement. Likewise, Coun. Maureen Wilson praised the private sector’s “exciting” initiative, but also expressed concern about its potential impact on the city.

Wilson said it’s her responsibility to “assess what the consequences are,” but noted blind spots about the Games’ effect on planned capital projects, who would own “legacy facilities” and who would have access to them.

“However, it’s all public money,” she said.

Hamilton 100, which has the backing of several local institutions and organizations, has said the 100th anniversary of the Commonwealth Games in its birthplace will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in spinoff beyond the initial $1.4-billion investment.

On Monday, finance chief Mike Zegarac said the city’s own letter of endorsement for Hamilton 100 is “non-binding” when it comes to committing municipal dollars.

Staff estimate the public sector’s contribution to the Games would be about $1.18 billion with the municipal share between $200 million and $300 million, which is more than Hamilton 100’s figure of $100 million.

The expectation is that the private sector will generate the rest of the funds to put on the Games.

Hamilton, in fact, is the only city in Canada vying for the 2030 global event, but a group in Calgary aims to host the 2026 Games, making them potential competitors for senior government dollars.

After Hamilton 100 submits the second part of its proposal to Commonwealth Games Canada, the organization’s decision on “preferred” bid(s) is expected March 31.

Should the decision favour the bid, the next step would be a multi-party agreement, talks that “usually” involve three levels of government and Commonwealth Games Canada, Zegarac noted.

However, a “potential interim step” is a memorandum of understanding “where principles or preferred outcomes” could be hashed out before entering a full-blown negotiation, he added.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger acknowledged the city must exercise “due diligence” but noted previous events, such as the 2015 Pan Am Games, have made facilities like Tim Hortons Field possible.

“If we can build that into a Games process, all the better,” Eisenberger said.

Coun. Sam Merulla agreed, pointing to how the 2003 World Cycling Championships led to infrastructure renewal in Hamilton.

“To shut it down is just totally irresponsible,” Merulla said, pointing to exit ramps in the road ahead before the city is committed to the Games.

Merulla said he’s supporting Hamilton 100’s bid due to the prospect for 6,000 affordable housing units that are touted for the Games. Clark later clarified now “is not the time to say no” and display a “divided council” to Commonwealth Games Canada.