Prague 2016 Olympic bid
Encyclopedia
Prague
, the capital city of the Czech Republic, bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
. Prague's bid was considered a trial bid to warm up for future Olympic campaigns. Prague's bid came to an end on June 4, 2008, when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist.
After initial enthusiasm, Prague's bid became troubled, and the city considered canceling their bid. Nevertheless, the government went forward with its bid to become an applicant city on January 14, 2008.
If it had been chosen, Prague would have staged the Games between July 29 and August 14. The subsequent Paralympics were to be held between September 1 and 13.
On March 22, 2007, Prague
confirmed its bid when the Prague Assembly voted 53-10-3 in support of launching an official bid. Tomas Petera was the head of the Praha Olympijska (Olympic Prague) company.
This was the third try by Prague and the Czech Republic to host the Olympic Games. Previously Prague placed a bid for 1924 Summer Olympics
which was won by Paris
and planned a bid for 1980 Summer Olympics
but Warsaw Pact invasion
and normalization
put an end to these plans; the Olympics were hosted by Moscow
. Useful recent experience includes the recent hosting the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
.
The Czech Republic (including Moravia
, Silesia
and Bohemia
) has a strong sports legacy
, which appeals to the IOC. They have attended every games except the Athens 1896 Games
and the Los Angeles 1984 Games
. The Czechs have been especially proficient in gymnastics
, and for winter sports, ice hockey
. The current decathlon
world champion is Czech Roman Šebrle
, who as tradition dictates, holds the title of "World's Greatest Athlete" and who was identified to be a potential face of the Games.
Prague is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe,
and as a popular tourist destination, it holds many of the cultural aspects that appeal to the IOC. The bid book indicates around 38,000 hotel rooms are planned by 2016, but this amount is short of IOC expectations and is far behind competing bids.
Prague allocated 45 million crowns to the Olympic movement for studies, advertisements, and opinion polls. The bid budget of US$22 million alloted for the application and candidacy phase was roughly half that of other bids.
When Prague revealed its bid book, it moved to a more compact concept to hold the Games in the heart of the city with venues close together - most not more than 20 minutes from each other or from the Old Town Centre of Prague. Three main clusters were organized with the Olympic park at the center. Five venues are already built and ready, 12 would need upgrades and nine permanent new venues would have been constructed with an additional seven venues being temporary for the Games only.
Specifically, three sport centers were to be built – a velodrome
for cyclists in Prague or Brno
; a natatorium
that would be constructed from the existing Prague-Sutka Aquapark; and the major Olympic complex to be built on the outskirts of Prague in Letňany. Five circular children's pools were to be built to symbolically represent the Olympic rings. As Prague is land-locked, yacht
ing will be in Lipno
, rowing and canoe
ing in Racice, and slalom in Troja. One major stadium already in place is the modern Sazka Arena
, which would host gymnastics
. There are plans to rebuild the area around the huge and underutilized Strahov Stadium
as an Olympic village
.
In response to presidential concerns over white elephant
venues after the Games (such as Athens
' unused baseball stadium
), officials stressed the Games would not bring dozens of new sporting facilities to Prague. Many existing facilities would be refurbished, most Olympic sites would be just temporary, with “only about 30 percent remain[ing] permanent.” Even the possible main Olympic stadium in Letòany would be developed in such a way that it could later be transformed into part of a convention center
.
Politically, Prague's bid failed to garner widespread support from mayors of smaller towns who fear that the infrastructure investment in Prague will hamper investment in their regions. Czech President Václav Klaus
questioned the bid, doubting the ability to bring profit to the country. A public opinion poll in October 2007 mustered a quite low 50% support. This was up 8% from an earlier poll in May 2007. Other bid cities have support in the 70s-80s percent range except Tokyo which is around 60% and Baku which is over 90%.
In December 2007, Tomas Petera suggested the possibility of Prague cancelling its bid, citing uncertainty over political guarantees because of a vacancy in the Sports and Education ministry linked to a government reshuffle. Government officials later confirmed stated legal guarantees to protect foreign athletes’ safety. However, no ties to financial obligations were confirmed which is a requirement of a successful bid. In February 2008, Czech Premier Mirek Topolánek
emphatically stated Prague's bid will not get financial guarantees from the government, even if the city makes the short list of contenders, effectively ending the campaign. Even then, Prague was still officially in the running for the games.
In March 2008, the item was still under contention when local press highlighted that the official questionnaire claims it would receive the equivalent of $5.2 million from the Czech government, but failed to mention that the government provided only legal guarantees. A spokesman for the Olympic promotion company said the figures are based on a financial study and are nothing but a possibility under consideration. He said the costs of the candidacy would be covered by Prague.
, both a traditional sign of victory and celebration as well as a reward in the Ancient Olympics (and featured in the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
, Greece
) and ribbons in the Olympic colors. Initially, the number "2016" formed the actual leaves. However, the IOC asked them to modify the design for reading clarity.
Prague was considered to be a long-shot given several factors, such as Prague's lack of stadia and other important Olympic sports infrastructure, wavering political support, funding issues, and as London
is already hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics
, the IOC is unlikely to award back-to-back Summer Olympic Games to the same continent, (although Madrid, Spain did advance to the shortlist). Prague acknowledged outright that this bid was a preparation for future bids.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, the capital city of the Czech Republic, bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
. Prague's bid was considered a trial bid to warm up for future Olympic campaigns. Prague's bid came to an end on June 4, 2008, when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist.
After initial enthusiasm, Prague's bid became troubled, and the city considered canceling their bid. Nevertheless, the government went forward with its bid to become an applicant city on January 14, 2008.
If it had been chosen, Prague would have staged the Games between July 29 and August 14. The subsequent Paralympics were to be held between September 1 and 13.
Bid Details
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
confirmed its bid when the Prague Assembly voted 53-10-3 in support of launching an official bid. Tomas Petera was the head of the Praha Olympijska (Olympic Prague) company.
This was the third try by Prague and the Czech Republic to host the Olympic Games. Previously Prague placed a bid for 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
which was won by Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and planned a bid for 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
but Warsaw Pact invasion
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
and normalization
Normalization (Czechoslovakia)
In the history of Czechoslovakia, normalization is a name commonly given to the period 1969 to about 1987. It was characterized by initial restoration of the conditions prevailing before the reform period led by Alexander Dubček , first of all, the firm rule of the Communist Party of...
put an end to these plans; the Olympics were hosted by Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Useful recent experience includes the recent hosting the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2004 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held April 24-May 9, 2004, in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic. Games for this Ice Hockey World Championships tournament were played at Sazka Arena and ČEZ Aréna...
.
The Czech Republic (including Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, Silesia
Czech Silesia
Czech Silesia is an unofficial name of one of the three Czech lands and a section of the Silesian historical region. It is located in the north-east of the Czech Republic, predominantly in the Moravian-Silesian Region, with a section in the northern Olomouc Region...
and Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
) has a strong sports legacy
Czechoslovakia at the Olympics
Czechoslovakia first participated at the Olympic Games in 1920, after having competed as Bohemia from 1900 to 1912. The nation sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the 1984 Games when they participated in the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer...
, which appeals to the IOC. They have attended every games except the Athens 1896 Games
1896 Summer Olympics
The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Athens, Greece, from April 6 to April 15, 1896. It was the first international Olympic Games held in the Modern era...
and the Los Angeles 1984 Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. The Czechs have been especially proficient in gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
, and for winter sports, ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. The current decathlon
Decathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
world champion is Czech Roman Šebrle
Roman Šebrle
Roman Šebrle is an athlete from the Czech Republic. He is considered to be one of the best decathlon athletes of all time. Originally a high jumper, he competes in decathlon and heptathlon for team TJ Dukla Praha and is a world record holder in the decathlon...
, who as tradition dictates, holds the title of "World's Greatest Athlete" and who was identified to be a potential face of the Games.
Prague is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe,
and as a popular tourist destination, it holds many of the cultural aspects that appeal to the IOC. The bid book indicates around 38,000 hotel rooms are planned by 2016, but this amount is short of IOC expectations and is far behind competing bids.
Prague allocated 45 million crowns to the Olympic movement for studies, advertisements, and opinion polls. The bid budget of US$22 million alloted for the application and candidacy phase was roughly half that of other bids.
Venues
The motto of the third nomination is Olympic Games for the Czech Republic as it should take place in other cities across the country as well. The IOC has tended to prefer, however, more compact bids. The Czech Olympic Committee plans to develop 130 sport centres in 75 cities in the process of Olympic Games candidature.Specifically, three sport centers were to be built – a velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
for cyclists in Prague or Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
; a natatorium
Natatorium
A natatorium is a term given for a building containing a swimming pool. In Latin, a cella natatoria was a swimming pool in its own building, although it is sometimes also used to refer to any indoor pool even if not housed in a dedicated building...
that would be constructed from the existing Prague-Sutka Aquapark; and the major Olympic complex to be built on the outskirts of Prague in Letňany. Five circular children's pools were to be built to symbolically represent the Olympic rings. As Prague is land-locked, yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
ing will be in Lipno
Lipno Dam
The Lipno Dam is a dam with hydroelectric plant constructed along the Vltava River in the Czech Republic.- History :Due to frequent flooding and subsequent damage, the Vltava River in Southern Bohemia had been problematic for the Český Krumlov and other settlements, through which it flowed...
, rowing and canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ing in Racice, and slalom in Troja. One major stadium already in place is the modern Sazka Arena
Sazka Arena
O2 Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Prague, Czech Republic.It was built in time for the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships....
, which would host gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
. There are plans to rebuild the area around the huge and underutilized Strahov Stadium
Strahov Stadium
The Great Strahov Stadium is a stadium in the Strahov district of Prague, Czech Republic. The stadium is the largest in the world, and is the second largest sports facility worldwide after the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, seating around 220,000....
as an Olympic village
Olympic Village
An Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
.
White elephant
A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth...
venues after the Games (such as Athens
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
' unused baseball stadium
Helliniko Olympic Complex
The Helliniko Olympic Complex is situated at Ellinikon on the east coast of Greece south of Athens, approximately 16 kilometres from the Olympic Village. It was built on the site of the former Ellinikon International Airport for the staging of the 2004 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Paralympics...
), officials stressed the Games would not bring dozens of new sporting facilities to Prague. Many existing facilities would be refurbished, most Olympic sites would be just temporary, with “only about 30 percent remain[ing] permanent.” Even the possible main Olympic stadium in Letòany would be developed in such a way that it could later be transformed into part of a convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
.
Funding and political support
The center of the bid was planned to use a new $348 million Olympic Stadium and the Olympic village to be financed with both private and public funds. Revenues from the Games were projected at USD $969 million, down from the 2004 estimates. Per a 2004 study, the budget for the games was estimated to reach 136 billion crowns (US$7.5 billion) and profit 25 billion crowns (US$1.3 billion). An additional 490 billion crowns (US$27 billion) would need to be invested in infrastructure. A newer study indicates the government will spend US $5.03 billion for the Games, of which $1.4 billion would be expected to come from the national budget. Infrastructure costs will require another $28 billion.Politically, Prague's bid failed to garner widespread support from mayors of smaller towns who fear that the infrastructure investment in Prague will hamper investment in their regions. Czech President Václav Klaus
Václav Klaus
Václav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic and a former Prime Minister .An economist, he is co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party, the Czech Republic's largest center-right political party. Klaus is a eurosceptic, but he reluctantly endorsed the Lisbon treaty as president of...
questioned the bid, doubting the ability to bring profit to the country. A public opinion poll in October 2007 mustered a quite low 50% support. This was up 8% from an earlier poll in May 2007. Other bid cities have support in the 70s-80s percent range except Tokyo which is around 60% and Baku which is over 90%.
In December 2007, Tomas Petera suggested the possibility of Prague cancelling its bid, citing uncertainty over political guarantees because of a vacancy in the Sports and Education ministry linked to a government reshuffle. Government officials later confirmed stated legal guarantees to protect foreign athletes’ safety. However, no ties to financial obligations were confirmed which is a requirement of a successful bid. In February 2008, Czech Premier Mirek Topolánek
Mirek Topolánek
Mirek Topolánek is a former prime minister of the Czech Republic and former President of the European Council. A member of the Civic Democratic Party, he was chairman of the center-right party between November 2002 and March 2010, succeeding Václav Klaus, who was elected President in 2003.On 24...
emphatically stated Prague's bid will not get financial guarantees from the government, even if the city makes the short list of contenders, effectively ending the campaign. Even then, Prague was still officially in the running for the games.
In March 2008, the item was still under contention when local press highlighted that the official questionnaire claims it would receive the equivalent of $5.2 million from the Czech government, but failed to mention that the government provided only legal guarantees. A spokesman for the Olympic promotion company said the figures are based on a financial study and are nothing but a possibility under consideration. He said the costs of the candidacy would be covered by Prague.
Logo
The Prague logo represents a branch from a laurel wreathLaurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
, both a traditional sign of victory and celebration as well as a reward in the Ancient Olympics (and featured in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) and ribbons in the Olympic colors. Initially, the number "2016" formed the actual leaves. However, the IOC asked them to modify the design for reading clarity.
Conclusion of bid
As expected, Prague did not make the shortlist of Candidate cities in June 2008.Prague was considered to be a long-shot given several factors, such as Prague's lack of stadia and other important Olympic sports infrastructure, wavering political support, funding issues, and as London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
is already hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, the IOC is unlikely to award back-to-back Summer Olympic Games to the same continent, (although Madrid, Spain did advance to the shortlist). Prague acknowledged outright that this bid was a preparation for future bids.