Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart wants to see the Gold Coast host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, after the state of Victoria sensationally pulled out.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said at the time that 12-day event was being scrapped due to ballooning costs.
"What's become clear is that the cost of hosting of these Games in 2026 is not the $2.6 billion dollars which was budgeted... it is at least $6 billion and maybe even $7 billion," Andrews said.
"It could even be more than that."
Several cities have expressed interest in hosting the games like Christchurch and the Gold Coast, however no formal bid has been made.
A spokesperson for Rinehart told the Courier Mail that she’d stopped short of offering to fund the games herself but had pledged to work with the city to ensure the games were held on Australian soil.
"Having seen the joy that athletes and their families experienced when competing in front of a home crowd for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Mrs Rinehart would certainly welcome the 2026 event to again be held in Australia, especially at the Gold Coast, where it was run so successfully before," her spokesman said.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has said the city could repeat the success of 2018, and has previously argued it could be delivered at a cost of just $1 billion AUD.
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