Commonwealth plays $2 billion games

As the closing ceremony begins today the total cost of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games could escalate to $2 billion, over five times the original $350 million budgeted in 2002.

Victorian MP Russell Savage spoke to ABC Mildura yesterday and said Games’ organisers “lost their grip on reality”.

The Victorian Government’s original proposal excluded the expenses of public transport, security and police resources, and was upgraded to a maximum $697 million in March 2003, ABC reported.

It was yesterday revealed that the Victorian Government spent $119 million on security at the games, $73 million more than initially allocated.

A spokesman for the Victorian Government said the security upgrades were driven by the September 11 attacks and Bali bombings.

It was announced in September 2003 that $30 million would be allocated to the production of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Mr Savage said he believed the billion-dollar blow out was due to a “fireworks circus to end the Commonwealth Games”.

Funds for the Games were raised through sponsors, merchandising, TV rights and ticket sales, after the Victorian Government’s $697 million investment and over $100 million from the Commonwealth Government.

However, “nervous” Games organisers “gave away 5,000 tickets for the Opening Ceremony” just days before the Games in a desperate bid to try and fill seats, the ABC’s The World Today reported.
The Commonwealth Games ends tonight at the MCG with an expected $7.5 million giveaway of Closing Ceremony tickets to volunteers, cast and crew.