Economic Impact of the 2030 Commonwealth Games on Ahmedabad: A Qualitative Study

Purpose: This paper examines the expected economic contribution of Ahmedabad’s 2030 Commonwealth Games bid and its sequenced 2036 Olympic bid, and asks whether sequential mega-event hosting can drive infrastructure-led urbanisation and long-term economic legacy in an emerging-economy context.

Methodology: A qualitative case study design is employed. Primary data came from semi-structured expert interviews with four respondents spanning urban development, industry and civic policy, journalism, and real estate. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis with hybrid deductive–inductive coding (Braun and Clarke, 2006), with findings cross-validated across respondents and contextualised against the comparative literature on Delhi 2010, Gold Coast 2018, and Birmingham 2022.

Findings: Six themes emerged: 1) The Deadline Catalyst — the Games compress multi-decadal infrastructure investment into a single planning cycle; 2) Financial Discipline — structural anti-corruption procurement and realistic revenue modelling are preconditions for legacy value; 3) The Holistic Sports Economy — performance technology, sports medicine, biosensors, and nutritional science offer a more durable employment legacy than construction and hospitality; 4) Unified Governance — a single accountable delivery body is a prerequisite for on-time delivery; 5) The Coming-Out Moment — the Games are India’s global-stage debut, with UNESCO World Heritage City status an underused branding asset; and 6) Urban Equity — affordability and inclusive design determine whether the economic multiplier reaches residents across all income groups.

Practical implications: Planners should design all infrastructure for long-term utility from the outset, establish a single delivery body with statutory powers, adopt open digital procurement overseen by an independent international custodian, embed holistic sports-ecosystem investment in national industrial policy, apply universal design across all Games-related and city infrastructure, subject revenue projections to independent audit, and price post-Games infrastructure for affordability across income groups.

Originality/value: This study offers a triangulated picture of mega-event economic potential through the first qualitative multi-stakeholder account of a city pursuing a sequential Commonwealth-to-Olympics hosting strategy in South Asia.