Hamilton staged the inaugural edition of what was then known as the British Empire Games in 1930.

In April, a private Bid Committee shelved a potential bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in favour of 2030 - its original target - which will be the centenary edition of the multi-sport event.

The Canadian city is seen as the frontrunner for the 2030 event, but the pivot away from 2026 has left the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) without an obvious host for the next edition after Birmingham 2022.

According to The Public Record, Eisenberger and four councillors voted in its favour as it narrowly passed to become a recommendation.

Four councillors voted against the item, after more than an hour of discussion, and with the session taking place behind closed doors eyebrows have been raised.

The City Council will decide whether to accept the recommendation at a ratification meeting this week.

Details of the item have not been disclosed, but one of the councillors who voted against it - John-Paul Danko from Hamilton's Ward 8 - suggested it may relate to the bid expanding across the wider region.

"It is now a regional Games, versus a City of Hamilton Games… completely different than what led up to Hamilton being selected," Danko said, per The Public Record.

Another of the opposing councillors, Maureen Wilson from Ward 1, claimed a new agreement between the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group and the Hamilton 100 Bid Group could lead to an increased financial burden on the city.

It represents "an unanticipated addition to the process to develop the final hosting proposal for the 2030 Commonwealth Games", Wilson said, as reported by The Public Record.

"My understanding is the Hamilton 100, when they were last presenting towards this Council said that they were not looking for any financial contribution.

"But then, in appendix B, it states that the sources of funding federal, provincial and or municipal, and the amounts available are still to be determined."

However, Eisenberger insisted: "We also need a separate agreement with HUPEG and Hamilton 100, who are the manager or will be the manager of the facilities that are Hamilton or FirstOntario Centre, FirstOntario Place and the Convention Centre."

No country has yet provided a firm commitment to bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, but the CGF President Dame Louise Martin last month said several countries were interested, and a host will be announced before the end of next March.

Next year's Games are due to be staged in the English city Birmingham from July 28 to August 8.

The Commonwealth Games were last held in Canada in 1994, in Victoria.