As Christchurch residents look down the barrel of a 15.8% rates hike, the Council is considering putting in a bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030. 

The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham cost $1.5 billion, in Australia the state of Victoria pulled out of hosting the games due to the cost ballooning to an estimated $7 billion and the Canadian province of Alberta pulled out of hosting due to the $2.6 billion estimated cost.

Even at the lower end of these estimates, hosting the Games would cost more than $9000 per residential ratepayer which is simply not affordable when debt is already at almost $25,000 per residential ratepayer.