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Istanbul
Tries For a Third Time
October 16, 2000
Hopefully
for Istanbul, it’s not three strikes and you’re out.
This is the third time Istanbul is bidding for an Olympic
Summer Games.
According
to the Istanbul Web site, the city’s logo and theme “meeting of
continents” deliberately emphasize the ultimate goal of the
Olympic movement, which is bringing athletes together from around
the globe to create an enduring legacy of peace and harmony in the
world. And
geographically speaking, Istanbul is living up to its theme.
It is the only city linking two continents and providing a
virtual re-enactment of the coming together of Europe and Asia.
IIstanbul
lost out in its 2004 bid for the Summer Games, but not for lack of
support. At the time 95
per cent of those surveyed supported its Olympic bid.
Since then there has been strong community support for the
2008 Games in schools, clubs, institutions, and public bodies in the
private and public sector.
Turkey’s
Parliament has enacted the first Olympic law in the world
guaranteeing the full cost of staging the Games and the government
has set aside fixed sources of revenues for facilities.
According
to the Turkish Olympic law, there will be tripartite cooperation
between the state, municipality and the NOC, which makes the 2008
bid irrevocably immune to government changes.
Since
Istanbul decided on a third bid, there has been a massive program
underway. Plans have been drawn up, sites have been acquired and
foundations laid. The NOC of Turkey, the 2008 bid committee, and the private
sector have all invested about $120 million (U.S.) in the bid.
All
venue locations were specifically chosen away from areas of historic
value and attractive urban sites.
Work
is already underway at the Olympic Park, which will be located on
584 hectares of derelict land and made accessible by light rail.
The Olympic Park and all the sporting events will be fairly
close to each other. And
for the first time in decades, all the athletes will be able to stay
in the same Olympic Village. Media
and Referee Villages will also be under the same concept.
As
for environmental issues, which is one of the criteria of an Olympic
bid, the Istanbul Olympic Bidding Committee (IOBC) had the Olympic
Park master plan drawn with the collaboration of a leading
environmental group.
Istanbul
is centrally located for easy travel and prime-time broadcasting. The average flying time to Istanbul is less than five hours
and because its in the GMT + 2 time zone, those who can’t come to
the Games can watch them live on television.
The
Main Media Center will have an excellent communications
infrastructure to fully exploit Istanbul’s ideal location for live
coverage of the Games for large European, Asian, and African
audiences, as well as audiences in the Americas.
And
by 2008 visitors to the Games can have their choice of 87,000 beds
in 43,000 hotel rooms.
Istanbul
says an Istanbul 2008 Summer Games will be a compact Games, with all
sporting events taking place in Istanbul, all athletes living in one
Olympic Village located three km from the Olympic Park, and with the
Media Village within three km of the Olympic Stadium.
And
best of all, the city says there won’t be any extra tax burden or
other cost to its citizens.
Istanbul
says having the 2008 Games will leave a strong and enduring legacy,
not only for the city, but also for the country and the entire
region.
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