Moscow’s Vice-Mayor Valery Shantsev was in Vienna Friday and spoke to reporters about Moscow’s bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games saying Moscow has major chances to host the 2012 Summer Games.
He said, “the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should realize that despite such reputed rivals as New York, London, Paris and Madrid, it is only we after Beijing who can offer the venue for the best summer Games.”
According to a Gallop Institute poll of Muscovites and Russians 91 per cent of all the Moscow respondents and 89 per cent of all the Russians polled favour Moscow holding the Olympics.
The Russian Information Agency Novosti reports that according to Russia’s bid the Olympic budget will be $2 billion of which 60 per cent will come from the IOC and IOC sponsors, and money will be donated by Russian and foreign sponsors. More than 100 leading companies have already said they would contribute to the Olympic budget.
The Vice Mayor said that a new Olympic Village will be built on the banks of the Moskva River in the north west of the city and all the events will be staged within the boundaries of Moscow at a distance of not more than a 28-minute trip along the Moskva River. All the sports facilities will be situated on the river banks.
The Luzhniki stadium with a seating capacity of 80,000 people, and the area adjacent to the stadium, will be the focal point of the bid.
The IOC’s Evaluation Commission will be in Moscow from March 14 to 17 to inspect the Moscow 2012 bid.
