Source: www.hambantota2018.com
The excitement of two ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 matches in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, has brought growing international interest to the ‘new’ City bidding to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Sri Lanka’s opening 210-run win over Canada and Pakistan’s victory over Kenya drew a global television audience to ‘the island jewel of the Indian Ocean’ and the fast-developing coastal city at the heart of the Hambantota 2018 bid. The $8 million, 35,000 capacity Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium itself – built for the showpiece tournament – has been heralded as testament to the nation’s ability to deliver world-class venues and infrastructure on time.
Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Hambantota 2018 Organising Committee Co-Chairman and Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, said: “We are making 2016 a byword for our Hambantota 2018 bid. Our commitment to all CGAs (Commonwealth Games Associations) is that all of the venues and the entire infrastructure for the Games will be completed by December 2016. This means that we can use 2017 for all the test events throughout the venues, including the Games Village.”
CGAs and International Federations will welcome plans to consult widely in developing state of the art, iconic competition and training venues for all core and optional sports. The venues will be clustered together to create a compact ‘Sports City’ as a new venue for world sport. It will be developed alongside existing major infrastructure developments; a new sea port and second international airport are under construction, with a high capacity public transport system and new road network in the pipeline.
Conceived in 2009 by Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament for Hambantota District, Sports City will feature all of the indoor and outdoor venues and facilities required to stage a superb Commonwealth Games. It will also be home to a sports Business Enterprise Park and two universities; IT Park; National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship; International Centre for Tourism; and state-of-the-art Media centres.
Sri Lanka's Sports Minister and Co-Chairman of the Organising Committee, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, added: “Sports City will be instrumental for Hambantota in winning the bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2018. All the athletes participating in the Games will find it tailor-made to suit their specific sporting requirements. They will relish the opportunity to compete in venues full to capacity with spectators, with a great atmosphere and in facilities that exceed their expectations and enable them to strive for personal best performances and medals.”
Hambantota is attracting local and foreign investment and the infrastructure development is in full swing. Power grids are being extended and the communications network rapidly developed. Reputed entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry are investing substantially in and a cluster of world-class hotels and resorts – hallmarked with the fabled Sri Lankan hospitality depicted in the Hambantota 2018 emblem[1][1] unveiled last month by His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa – are also scheduled for completion by 2016, two years ahead of the Games.
Others seemingly agree with Co-Chairs Cabraal and Minister Aluthgamage that the simultaneous development of residential facilities, infrastructure, economic nerve centres and world-class sports facilities for both competition and training will make Hambantota the ideal host city for Commonwealth Games in 2018. Hambantota has assurances from a number of sponsors and supporting nations endorsing its bid, showing full confidence in the delivery of everything required by the CGF, from sponsorships to the best media and sports facilities required by fans and Commonwealth sportsmen and women.
The CGF is due to choose the host city at its meeting in St Kitts and Nevis on 11 November 2011. For more information on Hambantota 2018 visit: www.hambantota2018.com