Prague May Bid For 2016 Or 2020 Games

In 2003 Prague Mayor Pavel Bem announced at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) conference in Prague that the city would be a candidate for a future Olympic Games. While there has been no publicity about a prospective bid since that time, Czech Business Week reports that politicians have “quietly but busily begun carving up the city behind closed doors at City Hall” for an Olympic bid.

Last November PricewaterhouseCoopers published the results of a city-commissioned cost analysis of hosting a 2016 or more likely a 2020 Summer Olympic Games, which showed building the necessary infrastructure for the Olympics would send the city spiralling deeper into debt.

Because Prague will have to submit its application for a 2016 Summer Games by July 7, city councillors have to apply this summer for any necessary zoning changes, which usually takes up to two years.

Meanwhile Prague’s municipal planners are working out development studies for eight sports venues throughout the city for an Olympic Games.

According to Czech Business Weekly analysts said that the Olympics taking place in Prague largely depends on the Cabinet because the state will have to either finance or at least guarantee close to half of the direct expenses and cover the funds needed for infrastructure, analysts said. Write or read comments about this article