A recent announcement by Turkey’s Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan that the country’s construction industry has secured 154 international projects worth $14 billion in the first seven months of 2013 has Istanbul 2020 guaranteeing it can deliver all infrastructure required by the Olympic and Paralympic Games on time and on budget.
Istanbul 2020 says its ideally positioned to benefit from the growing global expertise of Turkey’s construction industry which is now active in 101 countries worldwide, and it has undertaken 40 projects in 27 countries worth $2.4 billion in July 2013 alone.
Turkey reportedly was the most highly represented country, apart from China, in Engineering News Record magazine’s top 225 international contractors across the world for 2012.
Earlier this year the International Olympic Commission (IOC) said that it was “…confident that given the government’s full support and the proven track record to TOKI (State agency for construction) to date, construction works could be funded and completed on time, in line with construction best-practices and standards and would meet Games requirements”.
Istanbul 2020 says work has already begun to ensure these requirements are met, with the reconstruction of the Inonu Stadium – Istanbul 2020’s proposed rugby sevens venue – set for completion in 2014.
Istanbul 2020 Chairman Hasan Arat said, “the recent news that Turkey has one of the world’s leading construction industries confirms what we have been saying all along; if Istanbul wins the right to host the Games in 2020 we will deliver on time and on budget.
“Istanbul 2020 is in a unique position for a bid committee, because all of our delivery structures are already in place. We have a dedicated Olympic Law already embedded in our national legislation that guarantees financial support from the government and immediate cash flow. And in TOKI, we already have a powerful and existing delivery agency with a proven track record of delivering high quality infrastructure on time and on budget.
“If Istanbul is awarded the honour of being named the 2020 host city, we are ready to start work immediately – no delays, no bureaucracy, no risk. Istanbul 2020 will guarantee Games delivery.”
Of the 37 sports venues in Istanbul 2020’s concept, nine permanent new venues are being constructed specifically for the Games, with 11 planned and six temporary venues adding to the 11 “world-class” venues are already in place.
