Bid Highlights
- A motivation to host a Commonwealth Games that is intrinsically linked with plans for the long term development of the District of Hambantota and the Southern Province of Sri Lanka.
- All planned competition venues will be developed by 2016 allowing a comprehensive test event programme,including the 2016 South Asian Games.
- Special 'visa on arrival' arrangements will be in place during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- A Government-led project, with a strong financial commitment, fully supported by Guarantees.
Games Legacy
As a Games legacy, the Sports City concept will provide a vibrant, mixed-use area that benefits the local population, Sri Lanka and international visitors.
All of the sporting infrastructure will be retained to serve the local population and the new sports university to be located on-site, taking advantage of both the sporting facilities and the Games Village residential accommodation.
Sports City will also provide a new exciting hub for developing elite sportsmen and women in Sri Lanka's priority sports of athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, netball, rugby and weightlifting.
The competition venues for several sports have been purposefully designed to deliver wider, non-sporting legacy benefits to the District, such as a new Exhibition Centre and new Main Arena for entertainment and events.
Legacy benefits at the heart of the bid
The Games will be a catalyst for physical, social, economic and sporting regeneration.
Hambantota's city infrastructure and Games-time infrastructure plans are being developed 'hand in hand' to provide innovative urban design incorporating best practice transport planning, energy and water provision and development practices.
All the venues have been designed with a clear legacy brief to provide sustainable venues for the local and regional population to enjoy for many years to come.
The venues will play a key role in the delivery of the Ministry of Sports new seven-year Strategic Plan. There is a strong focus on developing education and youth in both Hambantota's long term plans and the Games legacy plan, to address many of the social issues faced by this part of Sri Lanka as it recovers from the devastation of the tsunami.
A new, compact 'Sports City'
The Games Park concept provides a unique Games-time venue offer with one of the most compact designs ever seen at a Commonwealth Games.
This concept will ensure short, easy travel times, providing athletes with a 'hassle free' experience to help maximize performances.
In legacy mode, the Games Park will become a Sports City, with fully accessible venues for post-Games use by the University, the local and regional community. This will support increased levels of sporting participation, and the all important development of an increased number of elite athletes and the retention of talent within Sri Lanka currently lost to educational establishments overseas.
These are all key objectives within the seven-year Strategic Plan. This sporting infrastructure will also support Hambantota's aspirations to become an 'Events City' with a track record of delivering highly successful sports events at a local, regional, national and international level.
These events will help Sports City become 'a new venue for world sport' combining events with warm-weather training camps, sports academies and on-site expertise in coaching, sports administration, venue management, marketing and hospitality management.
News and Events
Large crowds gathered at the local media campaign launch
A large number of people participated in the inauguration ceremony of the local media campaign to promote Hambantota 2018 Commonwealth Games bid, held on Sunday 26th of June 2011 at the Galle Face Green. The event made it evident that so many Sri Lankans took a keen interest in this historic bid and strongly backed it.
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Articles
Hambantota 2018 Commonwealth Games : Impressions of a foreign friend
With regard to Hambantota 2018 legacy plan, considering all what has been carried out so far and what will certainly be done in the months ahead, we selected seven letters to summarize implication and motivation of Sri Lankan authorities and Hambantota 2018 bid committee. Those seven letters are P.R.A.C.H.A.L. seven letters like the seven years ahead the d date. Those letters, according to us, represent Hambantota 2018 legacy plan and Sri Lankans’ motivation to host 2018 Commonwealth Games.
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