The 46-year-old, who is now a successful property developer and businessman, has been tasked by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh with the job of putting together a bid to beat Hambantota, the Sri Lankan city that is the Gold Coast's only rival.

He told the Gold Coast Bulletin: "We will put together a very successful bid that gets delivered in November 2011, I have got no doubt about that, given the resources and everything behind it.

"I think we have got to do it in a Gold Coast style.

"As Queenslanders we are very relaxed and we are very open - I think that is something that I want to see come through."

Stockwell won three medals - two silver and a bronze - at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

He also competed for Australia at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, claiming a gold medal as a member of the 4x100 metres freestyle and a silver in the 100m freestyle.

Stockwell, who is married to American Tracy Caulkins, a three-time Olympic champion, has since become a major property developer in Brisbane as the managing director of W.A. Stockwell Pty Ltd, which owns a string of shopping centres across Queensland.

He is also a director of Splash Leisure Pty Ltd, which is a leisure provider and facility manager owned by Stockwell, and which operates several leisure centres in Brisbane.

Bligh said Stockwell (pictured in Los Angeles at the 1984 Olympics) had been chosen as chairman of the bid because of his mix of experience in business, property and international sport.

The next step will be the recruitment of six to eight Board members, most of whom are expected to be the Gold Coast who have sporting, community and business experience, and the recruitment of an experienced chief executive to head the bid company.

The Gold Coast is the overwhelming favourite to be awarded the Games when the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) meets to choose the host city at a meeting in St Kitts and Nevis in November 2011.

But Stockwell promised he would not write off Hambantota this early.

He said: "We have got to attack this thing with the same gusto, whether it is Auckland, whether it is Sri Lanka or whether it is Abuja [the Nigerian capital which was expected to bid but did not]."

One of Stockwell's first tasks will be to decide what dates the Games should be held.

It is expected that they will be scheduled between April and September but Stockwell will have to take into consideration the demands of the various football codes, including Australian Rules Football, that use the stadiums in the area.

He is also expected to incorporate other events the Gold Coast is famous for such as surf lifesaving.

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