The Chair of Commerce Ballarat says the local business community is in shock, following yesterday’s announcement to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria.
The Premier has instead replaced the games with a $2 billion regional package that will see sporting upgrades still rolled out, such as 5000 extra seats at Mars Stadium and construction of a new athletics facility in Ballarat.
Anne Alexander says some local businesses had already begun working towards the games.
“We just need some more time to digest and assess what the actual damages are,” she said.
“There’s people I know who have already invested their time and a lot of efforts and maybe even started businesses with the hope the games were going to happen.”
Athletics Victoria’s Ashley Anderson says the cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games is disappointing for the local athletics community.
Mr. Anderson says funding of the new facility is still a positive.
“The Ballarat region is very keen to hold the Government accountable that we can actually develop this track,” he said.
“It’s certainly needed in the Ballarat region and it’s really exciting that it’s still going to happen within this legacy package they’ve announced for regional Victoria,” he said.
