Ignacio del Rio, head of Madrid’s 2012 Olympic bid, made a presentation before the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) answering 22 questions submitted by the COE.
Del Rio called Madrid’s Olympic bid one of “an opened city” and hopes a Madrid Games would reflect the Olympic spirit of Barcelona.
He said, “Madrid offers a great airport, …a great network of neighbourhoods, a city of three million inhabitants”, 58,000 hotel rooms located within 10 to 50 kilometres, and 2,250,000 metres of land “destined” to hold sports facilities.
Del Rio said following the Games the facilities will still be used.
He said that Madrid 2012 was collaborating with officials of the 1992 Barcelona Games.
“Madrid is an open city that tries to represent all the cities and towns of Spain” added del Rio.
Ninety per cent of the transportation infrastructures and facilities will be completed by 2006.
The Barajas airport will be renovated by 2005 and will accommodate 70 million passengers, double the amount of passengers it presently holds.
A high-speed train will unite Madrid with the main Spanish cities.
