Brisbane closer to committing to 2028 Games bid

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Brisbane is a step closer to committing to a bid for the 2028 summer Olympics after a favorable study into the merit of hosting the Games in Australia’s Queensland state.

A year-long pre-feasibility study said southeastern Queensland had the capability to bid for and host the event and local governments will decide in weeks whether to commission a more exhaustive feasibility study, local media reported.

The Gold Coast, a bustling holiday destination south of Brisbane, will host the multi-sport Commonwealth Games in 2018.

“It is about the long-term benefit of infrastructure,” Brisbane city mayor Graham Quirk said.

“It’s about the long-term tourism and investment opportunities that these type of events bring as well as out of that the long-term employment opportunities.”

Rio de Janeiro will host the Olympics from Aug. 5-21, with Tokyo to stage the 2020 Games.

Rome, Paris, Budapest and Los Angeles are bidding for the 2024 Games, with a vote by the International Olympic Committee to decide the hosts in Sept. 2017.

Bidding for 2028 kicks off in 2019.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)