Liverpool's two football clubs at heart of city's bid to host CWG

A new waterfront home for English football club Everton FC is the centrepiece of a bid by Liverpool to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, officials in the city have announced.

City hall bosses on Friday unveiled ambitious plans costing around $900 million to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, still seeking a venue after original hosts, Durban, pulled out, reports Xinhua news agency.

Central to Liverpool's bid to stage the multi-sport Games is the riverside regeneration of the Bramley-Moore Dock -- just a few kilometres north of the city centre -- which would be home to Everton Football Club's new stadium.

The city is also proposing to host swimming at a new 50 metre pool within the city centre dock system, that would remain. There will be facilities for triple jump, long jump and pole vault on the dockside by Mann Island in the city centre.

Cricket and Track Cycling would take place in Manchester at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground and Manchester Velodrome, marking an exciting partnership with the two major cities of north west England.

Liverpool's existing Arena and Convention Centre would host badminton, artistic gymnastics, judo, netball and wrestling.

Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool FC, the city's other Premier League club, would host the opening ceremony of the Games as well as the Rugby Sevens.

Meanwhile the historic St George's Hall would host the squash finals.

An athletes village would also be built alongside the new Everton stadium in the heart of a Unesco World Heritage Site.

--IANS

pur/bg