News Release
Halifax Regional Council Unanimously Endorses Games Bid
(Tuesday, October 29/2002)-- Halifax Regional Council this afternoon re-affirmed its support for HRM to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games and unanimously endorsed the bid by the Halifax Commonwealth Games Society to be selected as Canada's choice for host community.
Mayor Peter Kelly, who on behalf of Halifax Regional Council signed the 2010 Commonwealth Games bid documents, extended congratulations to Fred MacGillivray, Chair of the Halifax Commonwealth Games Society, and its many volunteers for their tremendous effort in preparing the bid to be submitted this week to the Canadian selection committee.
HRM is competing against the city of Hamilton to be named Canada's host city in the international bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The Canadian selection committee is expected to announce its choice for host community by mid-December. Should it be selected, HRM and Canada would be competing internationally against Singapore and New Delhi, India, to host the 2010 Games. The final choice is expected to be announced in November 2003.
Mayor Kelly and Members of Regional Council stated that the bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games is the next natural progression in HRM's continuing effort to host international sports and cultural events.
The Mayor said " We have hosted, or are about to host, many single-event international competitions, such as the World Figure Skating Championships, the World Junior Hockey Championships and the Nokia Briar, so a multi- competition event such as the Commonwealth Games is the natural next step for us. HRM has shown that we are a can-do community, and our reputation internationally is that we are one of the best major event organizers available today."
Mayor Kelly said there is tremendous support in the community, and throughout Nova Scotia, for Halifax hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games. A recent public opinion survey indicated 82 per cent of those surveyed in HRM supported the bid and approximately 80 per cent of all Nova Scotia's polled also supported the effort.
The Mayor said he spoke today with Premier John Hamm and was re-assured of the Province's full effort to support HRM's bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, with the assumption that the Province and HRM would commit 25 per cent each towards the gross Capital cost requirement to host the Games, with the remainder coming from the Federal government as stated in its policy for Canadian communities hosting such events.
"Council is satisfied that HRM will be a minority partner financially, should we win the bid, but the economy of HRM will benefit tremendously during the construction stages for the new facilities; during the Games themselves, when millions people around the world will be either visiting us or watching the Halifax Games on television; and long after the Games are over, when we will still be using and enjoying the world-class legacy facilities built for the Commonwealth Games, " he concluded.
-30-
Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
