Tasmania set to bid for 2026 Commonwealth Games

Hobart and Launceston could host the 2026 Commonwealth Games under a bold bid to take the athletic showpiece to Tasmania.

Commonwealth Games host cities saw an increase in tourism by up to 25 per cent four years after hosting the games, a report found last year

The Games don't come cheap, and the cost of staging them would be in the hundreds of millions

Tasmania would also need federal money to help construct suitable venues

Premier Peter Gutwein has written to the chief executive of Commonwealth Games Australia, Craig Phillips, formally requesting that Tasmania be given consideration as a host for the event.

State Sport Minister Jane Howlett said the state was ready to make the most of the opportunity.

«Our government is committed to delivering more elite sporting content for Tasmanians to enjoy — and importantly, provide pathways for local sports men, women and children,» she said.

The 2022 Games will be held later this year in Birmingham in the England midlands after Durban in South Africa was stripped of the hosting rights in 2017 over a lack of progress.

Birmingham had been scheduled to host the 2026 event, but was called on to accelerate preparation in order to deliver the games this year, leaving 2026 vacant.

Melbourne has reportedly been approached to host in four years' time, but the Victorian government is remaining tight lipped about its plans.

Ms Howlett said her government would even consider Tasmania co-hosting the event.

«We are confident that we can work collaboratively with Commonwealth Games Australia on the opportunities Tasmania presents as either a host or co-host.»

Last year, a PriceWaterHouseCoopers report determined Commonwealth Games cities saw an increase in tourism by up to 25 per cent four years after