Rome’s Mayor Walter Veltroni, along with organizing committee director general Giovanni Malago and town planning councillor Roberto Morassut, submitted Rome’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rome’s town hall Monday morning.
The city of Milan is also in the running and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) will pick one of the two cities as its candidate in January.
Veltroni said, “CONI’s choice should be the entire country’s choice”.
If Rome wins the bid the 2016 Games reportedly could take place from July 16 to August 1, 2016 in already existing sports venues in the districts of Tor Vergata – which has a new swimming complex, Foro Italico, Eur and Ostia, Rome’s sea port where some aquatic events could be held.
The municipality will build a 15,000 seat sports venue reports Agenzia Giornalistica Italia. The publication reports that according to the dossier submitted Monday the state won’t pay expenses except for the Olympic Village in Tor Vergata.
Rome’s bid is centred on several existing venues, including the Stadio Olimpico that would host the Opening Ceremony and the Foro Italico complex that was used for the 1960 Games. The Circus Maximus, where chariots once raced, would host the Closing Ceremony.
Vetroni said Rome pulled out of the 2012 Games out of respect for New York after the Sept. 11 attacks. The city lost the 2004 Summer Games to Athens.
The International Olympic Committee will select the 2016 host city in 2009.
