A team of experts and Moscow 2010 Youth Olympic Games bid officials inspected the Moscow 2010 Youth Games Olympic Village Tuesday which has been tested in a series of events, starting with the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, to youth events hosted annually since then.
Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, meeting with bid committee officials following a visit to Izmaylovo Village said, “young athletes from all over the world will enjoy top-class hospitality in Moscow’s already existing Olympic Village. The Olympic Village for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games is ready”.
Valery Vinogradov, deputy Mayor and CEO of Moscow’s 2010 bid said, “Izmaylovo Village has gained global recognition because of its combination of contemporary residential development and its environment profile. It will not just accommodate young athletes, but it will indeed be a place of social and cultural interaction, promoting the Olympic ideals”.
According to a Moscow 2010 media release the village can house more than 8,000 people and is continuously upgraded. Extensive refurbishments were done in 2005.
Alexey Sorokin, Strategic Development Director for Moscow’s bid said, “the design of Izmaylovo Village is human-centred; it provided maximum accessibility and highlights the cultural and sporting heritage of Moscow. It is ideally located to minimize the transit times to and from the venues and features the latest security and transport infrastructure. We will continue our efforts to deliver a truly unique experience for young athletes in 2010”.
The village will be connected via a secure perimeter to the neighbouring Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, which houses the training venues for almost all of the sports on the Youth Olympic Games Programme. The university will also serve as the centre for the Sports and Health components of the Moscow 2010 Education and Cultural Programme.
No more than two athletes will share a room in the village and each room has a private bath and a minimum of 21.5 m2 of space. The rooms will be fully renovated by mid 2008. The village offers three star accommodation and services. Each individually air-conditioned room is already equipped with a television, telephone, and wireless Internet services as well as a desk, cabinets, drawers and closets.
Saunas, spas, weight training rooms and fitness centres are available and there are also bowling, billiards and other recreation facilities.
The International Zone services, such as Internet cafes, stores and shops, hairdressers, a post office and banking, already exist.
A fully operational concert hall is part of the Village with space for 1,300 guests.
