August 10 - The Gold Coast today launched its logo for its bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games at a special ceremony attended by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and several athletes.



The logo captures the energy of the Gold Coast in a blast of colour, Bligh claimed.

She was accompanied by canoeist Lyndsie Fogarty, sprinters Alex Beck, Dylan Grant and Otis Gowa, and cyclist Sara Carrigan, who unzipped their tracksuits to reveal the new logo.

"The Gold Coast sun is clearly present in the logo made up of 72 dots to represent each commonwealth country with different-sized dots reflecting that the Commonwealth is made up of nations big and small," said Bligh.

"Colours in the logo represent the golden sand, blue water, green hinterland and red sunsets of the Gold Coast as well as the colours of competing nations' flags."

Gold Coast Mayor and Olympian Ron Clarke, the former world record holder for 10,000 metres, said the logo embodied the people and excitement of the Gold Coast.

"When you've got the Queensland X-factor, like the Gold Coast, flaunt it, and that's what our bid team are doing," he said.

The Gold Coast is planning to step-up its campaign to host the Games during the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, which open on October 3.

"The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) will hold its General Assembly in Delhi, India on October 2, the day before the Games begin, and the cities bidding for 2018 have been invited to make a presentation," said Bligh.

"First impressions count and this will be our first formal opportunity to spell out just why the Gold Coast is the ideal location for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

"A Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will bring a wealth of benefits to the construction and tourism industries creating an estimated 30,000 jobs."

The Gold Coast's only rival for the Games is Hambantota in Sri Lanka. 

The CGF is due to choose the host city at its meeting in St Kitts and Nevis in November 2011. 


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