COMMONWEALTH Games 2026 organisers need room for officials and VIPs who will not fit into Bendigo's athlete's village.
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They are "mapping every bed that's available" in regional Victoria to work out where to stick everyone, minister for games delivery Jacinta Allan says.
There is no solid plan yet for those members of the so-called "games family and friends", a loose assortment of people like athletes' family, dignitaries and even officiating umpires.
Bendigo's athlete's village will only hold 1600 athletes and national teams' officials once built in Flora Hill.
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Games organisers are scouring the state to work out exactly how many beds might be free, Ms Allan said.
It is too early to say whether organisers would need to build special accommodation for officials, family and friends, she said.
"This is why we are doing this scoping of available accommodation at the moment, to think about how we address it if we need more," Ms Allan said.
Adding to the complexity is that hundreds of thousands of spectators will need accommodation too.
"Now, let's remember, there's a great opportunity for communities such as Echuca," Ms Allan said.
"It's just up the road and connected by the train line. We want to go talk to the community in Echuca and in and around the Campaspe area."
It is the same story in Castlemaine and other areas around Bendigo, Ms Allan said.
Meanwhile, planning continues on athletes' villages including Bendigo's.
Games organisers are consulting businesses about construction works but it is not just the buildings that need attention.
Open questions remain on matters like security in Bendigo, since the athlete's village sits on a busy Retreat Road and is surrounded by homes.
Some people can only access their homes off of streets immediately wrapping around the village, potentially making road closures impractical.
Ms Allan said security arrangements would be informed by Commonwealth Games Federation needs.
"It's probably a bit too premature to speculate on what that might look like because it goes into the design of the village," she said.
Still, there could be scope to set athletes' areas back from private homes thanks to the site's layout, Ms Allan suggested.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
