Geelong council and industry leaders have reacted with shock and disappointment after Daniel Andrews’ announcement this week that the 2026 Commonwealth Games would no longer go ahead.
Citing a cost blowout from the budgeted $2.6 billion to possibly over $7 billion, the Premier cancelled the Games, which was to be held in Geelong and three other regional hubs.
Despite the Games’ cancellation, Mr Andrews recommitted to the legacy infrastructure promises that were part of the larger Games project, including new and upgraded sporting facilities and social and affordable housing in Geelong and regional Victoria.
Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan voiced his disappointment at the decision, saying council’s job from here was to advocate for the legacy projects Geelong had been guaranteed.
“We have been promised huge amounts of tourism, economic, social and sporting benefits from these Games,” Mayor Sullivan said.
“More than 7500 jobs were to be created post- and pre-Games, more than 1200 procurement opportunities for local Victorian jobs… These are all lost now.
“This was marketed as, and truly was, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve our sporting infrastructure, our affordable housing stock, to strengthen our community and sporting culture.
“We want to ensure that the legacy benefits that have been promised by the State Government do come to fruition. We’ll be holding the government to account for this. The Premier made a promise to regional Victoria and we expect him to follow through.”
Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine (TGGB) executive director Tracy Carter said while the Games’ cancellation was an “absolute disappointment” and a “lost opportunity” to showcase the region, the early timing of the decision meant the local tourism industry had not invested too heavily to date.
“We’re disappointed for our industry, some of which have already put in quite a bit of work in trying to figure out how they can partner with the Games,” Ms Carter said.
“These sorts of things don’t come along too often. There was such a lot of excitement, so it’s just a real shame for that not to have eventuated.
“Certainly, we hadn’t got to the point of doing any investment of funds; it was really all preliminary and strategic thinking.
“What it did for our industry was unite everyone behind a shared, aspirational source of excitement. (Our job now is) to harness the excitement that was there. We have to grow our international visitation through other means.”
For more stories on the Games’ cancellation, see page 3.
