Turin 2006 officials expressed alarm Monday over a government proposal to cut $19.43 million from the budget of the Turin 2006 Winter Games just four months before they begin.
The Associated Press reports the reduction is part of $26.59 billion in spending cuts ad revenue-raising measures designed to bring Italy’s budget deficit within limits set by the European Union. The measures must be passed by the end of the year.
Italian Olympic Committee president Gianni Petrucci said he was “surprised and worried” over the possible cuts. He said he had the feeling that everyone, from the government to the opposition, was in agreement over the importance of the Olympics. He told Corriere della Sera “a cut like this so soon before the Games start does not permit adjustments to the schedule”.
Turin organizers believed they had overcome persistent budget problems last June when an agreement was signed to cover $157.87 million for the Games.
TOROC deputy CEO Luciano Barra stressed that the proposed measures still must be approved by parliament.
Sviluppo Italia president Massimo Caputi told Corriere della Sera that the proposed reduction includes money allocated for a $7.29 million publicity campaign recently announced to boost sluggish domestic ticket sales. The campaign was slated to begin within a few days.
Fuel, electricity, bathrooms for athletes, and other minor projects also risk being cancelled, Caputi said.
The overall cost for the Games being held February 10-26 is estimated at more than $3.64 billion.
On a positive note a week after ticket sales resumed 15,000 tickets had been sold. The overall number of tickets sold is 475,000 for revenues of more than 50 million euros . Turin 2006 ticketing director Giorgio Lauretta said, “we have obtained 58 per cent of the budget we forecast to take from the ticket offices”.
Also, Olympic stores had record sales in September.
