A poll released Thursday by the DEMA agency shows that sixty seven percent of Prague residents over the age of 18 are in favour of Prague hosting an Olympic Games in 2016 or 2020, up seven per cent from last year’s poll.
But a Median poll in May reported that only 22 per cent of Prague residents want the city to host an Olympic Games.
The DEMA poll also showed that people’s awareness of a Prague Olympic bid has increased recently. Last year 56 per cent were aware of an Olympic bid but this year’s poll showed that 74 per cent now know about it.
Praguers believe that hosting the Olympics would enhance Prague’s image around the world and attract even more foreign tourists than are already coming to the Czech capital.
The poll shows respondents believe that preparing for and holding the Games would also create new job opportunities.
But those polled noted three significant problems in connection with hosting the Games. They say the event would be very costly, it would excessively burden the city’s transport, and it would require enormous security measures.
People also named the city’s inflexible transport and lack of quality sports grounds as considerable obstacles.
One in four of the respondents predicted that the current political parties will not reach consensus on whether to host the Olympics in Prague.
More than two years ago former Prague Mayor Jan Burgermeister said it might be worth bidding for the 2016 or 2020 Summer Olympic Game and a team was formed a couple of months later to assess what the city would need to win a bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
In September of 2004 a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers indicated that the city could profit by hosting a Games in 2016 or 2020.
Last month a preparation commission was established for a 2016 or 2020 Olympic bid.
