The City of Richmond could be about to knock back a chance to bid for the 2016 BC Summer Games.
In a report due to go before the citys parks and recreation department on Tuesday, city staff are recommending Richmond not host the games in four years time.
Earlier this year, the city received an invitation from the BC Games Society to bid as host for either the BC Summer Games 2016 or 2018, or the BC Winter Games 2016 or 2018.
Richmond Sport Council determined theyd be interested in hosting the 2016 Summer Games and sent a letter of support to the mayor, which, in turn, reached city staff.
However, Vern Jacques, the citys recreation director, wrote, The benefits associated with taking on this complex multi-sport games event are expected to be less than the estimated investment of staff time and resources needed to deliver the games.
The report largely cites cost and lack of resources as the main deterrents to hosting the games.
The budget range for the games is between $850,000 and $1.2 million, with the host city contributing at least $95,000.
Whats more, facilities needed will already be in heavy use during this period, causing many regularly scheduled community sport activities to be interrupted. City staff are also skeptical theyll be able to recruit enough volunteers, leaving staff to supplement these activities.
Theres already a tentative plan to host other high profile events during this same time period including the 2016 Canadian Adult Recreational Hockey World Cup, the World Junior Judo Championship and the 2016 Pan American Karate Championship.
The return on these investments is expected to be higher than that of the BC Summer Games, while hosting the games could hurt the citys chance to host these other significant events, according to the report.
The city will likely not earn any facility rental revenues as a result of the games because there is an expectation that city facilities will be supplied free of charge, Jacques added.
The parks and recreation committee was due to vote on the recommendation Tuesday afternoon.
