JERSEY’S plans to host the Island Games in 2035 remain in the early stages, with no formal bid yet submitted and no assessment carried out of where athletes would stay, the Infrastructure Minister has said.
Jersey is expected to be given preferred bidder status in 2028, with a formal bid due to be submitted to the International Island Games Association in 2029.
A decision as to which island will host the 2035 iteration of the Games is expected to be made at the association’s AGM in 2030.
Responding to a written States question from Deputy Hilary Jeune, Infrastructure Minister Jonathan Renouf said: “Official agreement will be sought from the Council of Ministers in 2028 before a formal bid is submitted. It is important to note that, unless Jersey withdraws from the current process, preferred bidder status will be conferred on the island in accordance with the bidding process.”
He added that no decision has been made on which sports would form part of the 2035 programme. Any eventual programme would be developed with the Island Games Association of Jersey, local sporting organisations and government departments.
The minister said that any bid would need to set out the number of beds available, accommodation costs, travel arrangements, proposed sports and venues, as well as the overall budget and the cost of any new or upgraded facilities.
Deputy Renouf said: “It is expected that some venue enhancements will be required to support a Games bid. The final sports programme will take account of a range of factors, including affordability and deliverability.
“No assessment of accommodation has yet been undertaken. It is anticipated that the bid will include a range of accommodation options to cater for varying budget requirements.”
The government outlined plans to invest in sporting infrastructure to support a host bid for the Island Games as part of Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham’s Investing in Jersey: 2026 to 2050 strategy.
If Jersey is successful in its hosting bid, the 2035 event would be the third time the Island has hosted the Games – after 1997 and 2015.
