Munich Bidding for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games
10.12.2007 - Olympiapark München GmbH
(8.12.2007) The general meeting of the German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB) has decided unanimously on Munich in its bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Prior to this, Munich – supported by a three-part promotional film – had presented the results of a feasibility study to the delegates. The study envisions the city of Munich as the location for ice competitions, the 1972 Olympic Stadium as the arena for the official opening and closing ceremonies, the International Media Centre at the Munich Trade Fair and the medal plaza in front of the town hall. All snow competitions will take place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, while bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events will be held in Schönau am Königssee.
Summarising, Mayor Christian Ude, who had asked the delegates for their endorsement and approval for Munich’s Olympic plans, said: “In order for an applicant to be able to meet the high requirements of the International Olympic Committee, it is necessary to develop a concept for compact games with short distances for athletes, members of the Olympic family, sports fans and the media. The feasibility study is the basis of a bid in which – in addition to sport and infrastructure – ecology and culture also assume immense significance. ”The Mayor particularly stressed Munich's good international reputation as an Olympic city and centre for sport: “We want to become the first city in the world to be able to host the Winter Olympic Games after having previously hosted the Summer Games. The sustainability of the Olympic facilities, rightly expected by the IOC, has been nowhere better fulfilled as in Munich's Olympic Park, with its lively post-Olympic history and the more than a quarter of a billion visitors it has had since 1972.”
Bavaria's Prime Minister Dr Günther Beckstein, like Germany's Interior Minister Dr Wolfgang Schäuble, lobbied for Munich's bid in front of the DOSB members: “With this concept, we have every chance of winning the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Set in 2018, let's write another fairy tale. This time we'll call it: ‘Germany - a Winter fairy tale’.” The vote, in which the delegates unanimously endorsed Munich's Olympic bid with its partners Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Schönau am Königssee, was deemed by DOSB President Dr Thomas Bach to be a ‘good day for German sport’. “It's an extremely encouraging result for Munich's Olympic bid,” he said.
Mayor Christian Ude spoke of a ‘great day’ for Munich as a city for sport: “I'm particularly pleased about the unanimous support for our Olympic bid, which exceeded our expectations. The whole of German sport is, without exception, behind us. This includes winter sport associations, summer sportsmen and women, as well as representatives from both Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines.
We are now going into the next phase of the bid with support from federal and state politicians, and the support of the entire German sports world. This will no doubt also encourage commercial companies to join us and participate as sponsors in the international appearances involved in Munich's bid.
Together with our partners, it’s now – alongside looking for sponsors and an appropriate form of organisation – all about detailed planning of the options presented in the feasibility study. On that basis, we will then prepare a highly professional bid for 2009, to first achieve the status of ‘Candidate City’ from the IOC in 2010. and then, in 2011, to win the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is a great opportunity for us all, for sport, for all of Germany – a great opportunity that we want to seize.”
Prior to this, Munich – supported by a three-part promotional film – had presented the results of a feasibility study to the delegates. The study envisions the city of Munich as the location for ice competitions, the 1972 Olympic Stadium as the arena for the official opening and closing ceremonies, the International Media Centre at the Munich Trade Fair and the medal plaza in front of the town hall. All snow competitions will take place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, while bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events will be held in Schönau am Königssee.
Summarising, Mayor Christian Ude, who had asked the delegates for their endorsement and approval for Munich’s Olympic plans, said: “In order for an applicant to be able to meet the high requirements of the International Olympic Committee, it is necessary to develop a concept for compact games with short distances for athletes, members of the Olympic family, sports fans and the media. The feasibility study is the basis of a bid in which – in addition to sport and infrastructure – ecology and culture also assume immense significance. ”The Mayor particularly stressed Munich's good international reputation as an Olympic city and centre for sport: “We want to become the first city in the world to be able to host the Winter Olympic Games after having previously hosted the Summer Games. The sustainability of the Olympic facilities, rightly expected by the IOC, has been nowhere better fulfilled as in Munich's Olympic Park, with its lively post-Olympic history and the more than a quarter of a billion visitors it has had since 1972.”
Bavaria's Prime Minister Dr Günther Beckstein, like Germany's Interior Minister Dr Wolfgang Schäuble, lobbied for Munich's bid in front of the DOSB members: “With this concept, we have every chance of winning the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Set in 2018, let's write another fairy tale. This time we'll call it: ‘Germany - a Winter fairy tale’.” The vote, in which the delegates unanimously endorsed Munich's Olympic bid with its partners Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Schönau am Königssee, was deemed by DOSB President Dr Thomas Bach to be a ‘good day for German sport’. “It's an extremely encouraging result for Munich's Olympic bid,” he said.
Mayor Christian Ude spoke of a ‘great day’ for Munich as a city for sport: “I'm particularly pleased about the unanimous support for our Olympic bid, which exceeded our expectations. The whole of German sport is, without exception, behind us. This includes winter sport associations, summer sportsmen and women, as well as representatives from both Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines.
We are now going into the next phase of the bid with support from federal and state politicians, and the support of the entire German sports world. This will no doubt also encourage commercial companies to join us and participate as sponsors in the international appearances involved in Munich's bid.
Together with our partners, it’s now – alongside looking for sponsors and an appropriate form of organisation – all about detailed planning of the options presented in the feasibility study. On that basis, we will then prepare a highly professional bid for 2009, to first achieve the status of ‘Candidate City’ from the IOC in 2010. and then, in 2011, to win the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is a great opportunity for us all, for sport, for all of Germany – a great opportunity that we want to seize.”