The Associated Press reports Rio de Janeiro will be asking the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow changes in projects already approved for the 2016 Summer Games, moving some sports venues and media facilities to the city’s port district.
Rio is revitalizing its waterfront and wants to use the Olympics infrastructure to help improve the currently underdeveloped area, reports the Associated Press.
Rio 2016 and Brazilian officials will be meeting with an 18-member IOC coordination commission starting Tuesday until Thursday. The commission is visiting the city for the first time since Rio was elected host of the 2016 Games last October.
During the IOC visit the Rio 2016 organizing committee is to update the IOC members on the city’s progress so far, and city officials will ask the commission to evaluate the request for changes on the initial project.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes told local media, “we will present a proposal to move some (venues) to the port district”.
The city wants to change the location of temporary venues for boxing, weightlifting, table tennis and badminton, and move the media village and the main press centres from the Barra district to the waterfront, about 30 kilometres away.
But all changes would have to be analyzed and approved by the IOC.
Meanwhile, according to the Associated Press, Rio officials also launched Tuesday the project for the 26-kilometre-long Transolympic public transit highway which will connect many of the Olympic venues.
Officials also announced a program that will provide free courses to taxi drivers, waiters and others who deal directly with tourists.
