Bids for the 2018 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
Three cities applied with bids to host the 2018 Winter Olympics
and Paralympics
(also known as XXIII Olympic Winter Games and XII Paralympic Winter Games) in October 2009. The International Olympic Committee
, under the leadership of Jacques Rogge
, received three bids on October 15, 2009. The cities of Annecy
, France in the French Alps, Munich, Germany (host of the 1972 Summer Olympics
), and Pyeongchang, South Korea
, a two-time previous bidder, are vying for the hosting rights to the event. This is the lowest number of bidding cities since the 1988 Winter Olympics
. The winning bid was announced on July 6, 2011 at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban
, South Africa
by IOC President Jacques Rogge at 5.22 pm local time
Pyeongchang beat Munich in the first round of votes with 63 of the 95 total votes.
Pyeongchang's first round victory was one of the most decisive victories in Olympic voting history. Pyeongchang's 63 vote count is the highest votes ever recorded for a first round bid for a hosting of an IOC Olympic Game. Previous record was held by Salt Lake City with 54 votes for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
At first, the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) was quite reluctant in bidding for a Winter Games, preferring to focus on a bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics
. However, four cities (Annecy
, Grenoble
, Nice
and Pelvoux
) expressed interest in hosting the 2018 games. On September 24, 2008, the Olympic Committee announced it had granted these wishes and would bid in 2011. Annecy was elected as the official candidate city by the French NOC on March 18, 2009. The CNOSF acknowledges its tough competition, but it intends to learn from the failure of Paris to secure the Summer Olympics recently with victory in Annecy, maintaining a humble approach.
Previous bid head Edgar Grospiron
, Olympic skiing champion, stated, "we have exceptional, spectacular scenery with Mount Blanc, economic strength with one million tourists every year, and so we believe that our bid is credible. We want to invite the world to a party in a world famous resort". Grospiron was being assisted by IOC members and former Olympians Jean-Claude Killy
and Guy Drut
. However, his demission on December 12, 2011 has raised questions on the viability of the bid. On January 10, 2011, Charles Beigbeder was named as the new CEO for the Annecy bid. In addition, Olympic champions Jean-Pierre Vidal
and Pernilla Wiberg
were appointed as Vice Presidents of the bid. Beigbeder says he will seek more financial support for the bid from the private sector. Also announced with Beigbeder's appointment was the selection of Pierre Mirabaud as Director General of the bid. Mirabaud has been a regional government prefect, experience which Beigbeder says is needed by the bid.
On February 12, 2011, the IOC evaluation commission completed its four-day inspection of the Annecy bid. During a brief press conference, commission chair Gunilla Lindberg
was cautious in her praise of Annecy. On a positive note, she told reporters: "We have during our visit witnessed very strong governmental support which the bid enjoys and this was highlighted by the presence of the President Sarkozy and many members of his cabinet throughout the visit. I think the bid committee of Annecy has listened to the comments made by the IOC [criticism of the spread-out venues in June] and there has been a big improvement, especially not having so many competition venues as was proposed." But there was no glowing assessment of the Annecy bid from Lindberg. The Swedish IOC member also gave no clue about any concerns that had arisen during the inspection team's four-day stay in the French Alpine town.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy
also travelled to Annecy to meet with the IOC Evaluation Commission inspecting the city's bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. "The government will do everything possible, you can be sure, so that Annecy, applicant for the 2018 Winter Olympics, will be chosen," Sarkozy said. "Annecy's victory will be the victory of the entire nation, standing behind you." While pledging his support for the bid he said "you are trying hard. It's difficult. Your opponents are extremely powerful but I'm with you. If we win the Games it will be fantastic. And if we don't win, all we did will be useful for your cities and your region".
The territory proposed to host the Games is concentrated in Annecy and Mont Blanc where 65% of the venues are already built and "the world's leading winter sports destination". In a reference to difficult snow conditions at the 2010 Winter Olympics
, organizers made a guarantee of snow in Pays de Savoie where the average snowfall in February is 80 cm. Annecy is a smaller city, so the whole department of Haute-Savoie
will be used, including world famous ski resorts like Chamonix
, Megève
, La Clusaz
, Morzine
and Le Grand Bornand. Spread over an area with a 50 km radius, everything is within an hour of Annecy, and two Olympic villages are planned., Of the 13 venues, six venues will require permanent upgrades, two new venues are already planned to be built, and four other venues will be built if the Games are hosted in Annecy. Sliding events will be at La Plagne
, the same facilities that were used for the 1992 Winter Olympics
in Albertville which have been upgraded in 2008.
However, in June 2010, the IOC criticized Annecy's bid stating that the competition venues were excessively dispersed. The IOC report was highly critical over the original venue plan, saying it would "present major operational and financial challenges" that would "affect the Games experience for all client groups, particularly athletes". On October 4, 2010 Annecy's leaders unveiled a new "ultra-compact" venue concept in response to the IOC concerns. Under the reworked venue plans, all ice and snow events would take place within a 21 mile radius at two main bases, Annecy and Chamonix, which are less than an hour apart and linked by motorway and the "Games Train". All alpine skiing will take place in Chamonix, which will also host ice hockey. All freestyle skiing and snowboard are now centered on Annecy. Curling has been relocated to Annecy, the hub of most ice sports, meaning that the Olympic Village will be a little bigger than previously, to accommodate 2,500 athletes and officials. The bid has moved the second Olympic Village (1,500 beds) from the Mont Blanc valley into the center of Chamonix.
On March 28, 2011, the CAO (Annecy Anti-Olympic Committee) stated that it wants to tell people about what "not only the excesses of the Olympics, the sport business, the financial stakes of multinationals and unacceptable demands of the IOC, but also on adverse impacts on the environment and on uncontrolled public spending with long-term debt for the Olympic city". The group says it has collected 13,140 names for its petition opposing plans to bring the Winter Olympics to Annecy. In a press release issued on the 28th, the opposition group cited information reported exclusively by media outlet Around the Rings that an IOC poll shows only 51 percent of the local population supports the Annecy candidacy.
Bid costs are US$ 21 million. Venue construction is set for $419 million and transport/infrastructure costs (including some already planned and some dependent on the Games) is $2.1 billion. Among the transport costs are a new high-capacity gondola connection between Flaine and Mont-Blanc,and a train link. The nearest airport service will be in Lyon and Geneva (35 minutes by car). Public support for the bid was 88% across France and 81% in the Annecy region.
Annecy's logo features the French Alps
, specifically Mt. Blanc, as well as suggesting the letter "A" for Annecy.
Munich hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics
, and if selected would be the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games. Berlin and Hamburg
were considering a summer games bid for 2024 or 2028, but the German Olympic Committee is putting the Munich bid first. After Salzburg's failure to capture the 2014 bid, Germany feels it has a better chance and would prefer the Olympics sooner rather than later. Munich's bid head is figure skating superstar Katarina Witt
, replacing skiing star/filmmaker/entrepreneur Willy Bogner, Jr. who had to step down due to health reasons.
Munich is stressing an environmental approach and will use existing venues in Munich (some from the 1972 Games), and existing venues in the Bavarian mountain resorts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
(location of the 1936 Winter Olympics
) and Schönau am Königssee, an hour away by car. Fifteen competition venues are proposed – eight exist, three require construction and four are temporary. To take environmental responsibility, new venue construction will be on existing sites in order to minimize land use. Ice events will be held in Munich in addition to the existing Olympic Stadium for ceremonies. The Olympic swimming pool will be adapted into a curling venue, figure skating and short track will be at Olympic hall, a hockey arena will be on the site of the old cycling stadium, and a second ice hockey arena and a speed skating oval that will be dismantled and used elsewhere after the Games. Garmisch-Partenkirchen Snow Park will house nine snow venues, Both locations will have Olympic villages. In the district of Berchtesgadener Land, located in close proximity of the border to Salzburg, Austria, the historic Koenigssee Sliding Center which will be renovated for the World Championships in 2011 for hosting bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.
The Green party and several ecological associations oppose the bid. Arguments include the lack of natural snow, the environmental costs of artificial snow, using greenland for temporary sites, road construction projects that will cause a lasting increase of transit traffic, the financial risk, and the imposition of unnegotiable clauses by the IOC. As these points are getting increasing attention, public support for the bid is diminishing. While a 2009 poll gave 75.5% support of Munich residents and 68% across Germany, in spring 2010 these numbers were down to 69% and 64%, respectively. The bid proved highly divisive in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where more than 50 farmers refuse to allow the use of their grounds. Before, similar refusal of farmers to cooperate had forced the planners to abandon Oberammergau
as site of the Nordic competitions. As a replacement, a state-owned stud near Ohlstadt
was chosen, which is located 200 meters lower than Oberammergau and more often than not snow free in February.
On February 22, 2011, land owners in Garmisch-Partenkirchen supporting the 'Nolympia' initiative began collecting signatures under efforts to force a vote to decide whether the town will back the bid. "The Olympic Winter Games are too big for Garmisch-Partenkirchen. With more than fifty events in the snow cluster there are almost five times as many events as the world ski championships," said Nolympia backer Axel Doering. "Our goal is to win a referendum, so that the contracts be reviewed. Another goal is to finally show that the alleged "huge majority" [of support] for the Olympic Winter Games is a myth," he added. Munich's bid plans call for the leasing of land from private land owners for the Games. German Olympic committee President Thomas Bach
says complaints by landowners in Garmisch-Partenkirchen are not a problem for the bid. "It's not a problem at all because for the field of play, it's one piece of land with 800 square meters. The piece of land was there for the alpine world championships six weeks before," says Bach. He added "we have seen this at the world championships they were all going down on this very slope and they will go down in 2018, hopefully."
On February 28, 2011 the IOC evaluation commission traveled to Munich and to the other cities, in which competitions would be held. The 1972 Olympic Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was the high point of the IOC's tour. IOC Evaluation Commission chair Gunilla Lindberg says her inspection team has "absolutely felt the atmosphere and passion" for the Olympics at the end of its four-day inspection of the Munich bid. "The general impression is that it is a strong bid with strong governmental support. It is a good team on the bid committee and Germany is a big winter sports country used to organizing competitions." IOC vice president Thomas Bach insisted that 2018 was a good time for the IOC and Olympic Movement to bring the Games to the traditional winter sports city of Munich to "recharge the batteries after having been to new regions, with 2014 to Sochi and 2016 to Rio". German chancellor Angela Merkel
says Munich has a "very good chance" of winning the race to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. She added, "The world can look forward to Germany hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2018."
In addition to its historical strength as a passionate winter sports nation, figure skating superstar Katarina Witt
is promoting the bid, as well as 2010 Winter Olympics
star alpine skier Maria Riesch
and Olympic champion Bavarian biathlete Magdalena Neuner
.
Within the IOC, Munich has a strong ally with IOC vice president Thomas Bach
, who could swing the vote to Munich, even though the 2014 Games will have been held in Europe as well. Nevertheless, Munich is already considering a bid for 2022
if this bid fails.
Organizers have budgeted USD$42 million for the bid and USD$331 million for venues with $143 million budgeted for an ice hockey arena. $743 million is allotted for new and planned transportation improvements.
The slogan of the Games is Die Spiele im Herzen (The games at heart) and it is also being tagged as "the friendly Games". The logo is a stylized M, reminiscent of the Bavarian mountain silhouettes as well as the awnings in Munich's Olympic Park.
After losing the bids for the 2010
and 2014 Winter Olympics
, Gangwon Province Gov. Jin-sun Kim announced in September 2007 that Pyeongchang would bid a third time. He cited increased knowledge of the bidding process and the enthusiasm of residents as reasons to keep trying. According to a survey by The Chosun Ilbo
on 23 December 2009, 91.4% of Koreans, 93.4% of Pyeongchang and Jeongseon residents, and 93% of Gangwon residents supported the 2018 Winter Olympics bid. South Korea's figure skating superstar and 2010 Olympic champion
Kim Yuna and IOC member and Samsung Group
chairman Lee Kun-hee
promoted the bid.
The Samsung
Chairman and principal owner Lee Kun-hee
, given a 3-year suspended sentence for tax evasion and illegal bond dealing, was reportedly pardoned by the South Korean president Lee Myung-bak
with the hope that his connections and financial support would boost the chances of Pyeongchang.
On February 16, 2011, the IOC Evaluation Commission arrived in Korea for inspection of Pyeongchang’s bid. "We have seen great progress in the bid from the two previous bids," commission chairwoman Gunilla Lindberg said. "We have also seen progress in Korean winter sports during the last four years." Speaking at the IOC news conference following the inspection of Pyeongchang and venues in Gangwon Province, Lindberg said "I must also mention the passionate support of Gangwon residents. During our site visits it has been wonderful to see so many people to show their support to bring the Olympic Movement to Korea."
Seven venues had been built since the previous bids, including ski jumping
slopes, and biathlon
and cross country skiing courses. Pyeongchang would be a compact Olympic Games, with travel times of less than 30 minutes between the main accommodation in Alpensia resort and the venues and 10 minutes between venues. A new 250 km per hour KTX
line will be built between Seoul and Wonju
via Pyeongchang putting Pyeongchang within 50 minutes of Seoul.
German
reporter Dietmar Gessner from Sport Bild
said that "in Asia including Korea you can create more customers. You can make lots of money for winter sports.."
Pyeongchang’s slogan is “New Horizons.” The bid's logo suggests the winter scenery of Pyeongchang with snow on the mountains. The curve implies a will to win and symbolizes a snowboard and slope of winter sports.
Almaty
, Kazakhstan
Almaty bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics
, but did not make the short list. Bukovel
, Ukraine
The Ukrainian government announced in 2006 that Ukraine's popular Bukovel ski and snowboard resort was expanding in expectation of a bid. Bursa, Turkey In the western Anatolia
mountains, some events would be at the Uludağ National Park. China Li Zhanshu
, governor of Heilongjiang Province
expressed interest for Harbin
, host of the 2009 Winter Universiade
, or possibly Changchun
. Xinhua reported neither city will bid due to a number of reasons including weak infrastructure. France Gap
looked at the idea of a bid, but withdrew it in September 2008. The cities of Grenoble
, Nice
, and Pelvoux
also expressed interest to the French Olympic Committee, but were passed over for Annecy. Geneva
, Switzerland Geneva planned to launch a bid pending a public referendum, but the city decided to bid in 2022
instead. The Swiss Olympic Committee did not support the bid. Queenstown, New Zealand
A 2007 report indicated the New Zealand Olympic Committee
suggested a bid for a combined Queenstown
- Dunedin
bid. Östersund
, Sweden The new government did not show the same enthusiasm of bidding as the previous one. The political change was already made during a bid by the Swedish Olympic Committee
. It would have been the eighth attempt at bidding in the Winter Olympics, after many bids finished as runner ups. Sarajevo
, Bosnia and Herzegovina After losing a bid for the 2010 games, Sarajevo expressed interest in bidding for the 2018 games. Sofia
, Bulgaria Vessela Lecheva, BOC chairwoman announced plans to have at least one project for a multifunctional hall in Sofia to improve chances after three failed bids. Sofia is considering a bid for the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
. Tromsø
, Norway Tromso beat Trondheim
and the joint-bid Oslo
–Lillehammer
. The bid cost became contentious in Norway, National support was also low, with only 38% in favor of the bid; however bid head Petter Rønningen cited polls showing stronger support. Finally the application was withdrawn due to a lack of support. Upper Carniola
, Slovenia
Bohinj
mayor Franc Kramar proposed a bid with seven other mayors in Upper Carniola region. United States Denver, Colorado
(previously chosen to host the 1976 Winter Olympics
, but eventually declined the games), Reno
–Lake Tahoe
, Nevada
–California
, and 2002
host Salt Lake City, Utah
. expressed interest. The USOC declined to bid, focusing on the unsuccessful Chicago 2016 Olympic bid
instead, and will not bid until at least the 2022 Winter Olympics
. Zaragoza
, Spain There were initiatives to present Zaragoza. However, the mayor announced they would reserve the bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics
, reasoning it would be unlikely for Europe to be awarded due to the unofficial continental rotation policy, giving the failure of Madrid
's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
as an example.
and Around the Rings, feature predicting indices which specialize in evaluations of Olympic Games bids. They periodically release analysis of the candidates and assigns them a score between 0 and 100, or 0 and 110 respectively. The score produces a number that can be used to rate a bid relative to past successful bids - and possibly gauge its potential future success. GamesBids.com's scale is called BidIndex, ATR's is called the Power Index.
PowerIndex predicted that Munich would win, while BidIndex predicted that PyeongChang would win. Annecy was at a distant third, lagging behind 13 points in the BidIndex and 10 points behind in the PowerIndex. Ratings for the BidIndex are from April 2011 and rating for the PowerIndex are from June 2011.
Eliminated candidates
2018 Winter Olympics
The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, is a winter multi-sport event scheduled to take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, between 9 and 25 February 2018. The elected host city was announced on 6 July 2011 by the International Olympic Committee , after the...
and Paralympics
2018 Winter Paralympics
The 2018 Winter Paralympics, officially known as the XII Paralympic Winter Games, will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea , and is an international winter sports athletic event that has yet to be organized by the International Paralympic Committee . The International Olympic Committee , received...
(also known as XXIII Olympic Winter Games and XII Paralympic Winter Games) in October 2009. The International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, under the leadership of Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
, received three bids on October 15, 2009. The cities of Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
, France in the French Alps, Munich, Germany (host of the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
), and Pyeongchang, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, a two-time previous bidder, are vying for the hosting rights to the event. This is the lowest number of bidding cities since the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
. The winning bid was announced on July 6, 2011 at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
by IOC President Jacques Rogge at 5.22 pm local time
Pyeongchang beat Munich in the first round of votes with 63 of the 95 total votes.
Election results
| 2018 Winter Olympics bidding results | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | NOC | Round 1 | ||||
| Pyeongchang | 63 | |||||
| Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... |
25 | |||||
| Annecy Annecy Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:... |
7 | |||||
Pyeongchang's first round victory was one of the most decisive victories in Olympic voting history. Pyeongchang's 63 vote count is the highest votes ever recorded for a first round bid for a hosting of an IOC Olympic Game. Previous record was held by Salt Lake City with 54 votes for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Calendar
- July 31, 2009 — IOC to officially invite bid applicants from NOCs.
- October 15, 2009 — Application Deadline
- December 2–5, 2009 — Applicant City Seminar - IOC Headquarters - Lausanne, Switzerland
- March 15, 2010 — Application Files Due
- June 22, 2010 — Candidate City Selection
- January 11, 2011 — Submission of candidature files and guarantees
- February - March, 2011 — Evaluation Commission Site Visits
- May 10, 2011 — Evaluation Commission Report Released
- May 18–29, 2011 - Bid cities briefing, Lausanne
- July 6, 2011 — Winner Announced at 123rd IOC Session - Durban, South Africa
Candidate cities overview
All three cities have suggested hosting the Games between February 9–25, 2018. The Paralympics will be held from March 9–18.Annecy
| Annecy | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Details | |
| Score | 0.0 |
| Country | |
At first, the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) was quite reluctant in bidding for a Winter Games, preferring to focus on a bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics
2024 Summer Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics, which will be officially known as the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad if the present naming convention and frequency is unchanged, are an international athletic event that might be organized by the International Olympic Committee...
. However, four cities (Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
, Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
and Pelvoux
Pelvoux
Pelvoux is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Pelvoux was bidding to be the French candidate city for the 2018 Winter Olympics.-Population:-External links:* *...
) expressed interest in hosting the 2018 games. On September 24, 2008, the Olympic Committee announced it had granted these wishes and would bid in 2011. Annecy was elected as the official candidate city by the French NOC on March 18, 2009. The CNOSF acknowledges its tough competition, but it intends to learn from the failure of Paris to secure the Summer Olympics recently with victory in Annecy, maintaining a humble approach.
Previous bid head Edgar Grospiron
Edgar Grospiron
Edgar Grospiron is a French freestyle skier and Olympic champion. He won a gold medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. He received a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.-References:...
, Olympic skiing champion, stated, "we have exceptional, spectacular scenery with Mount Blanc, economic strength with one million tourists every year, and so we believe that our bid is credible. We want to invite the world to a party in a world famous resort". Grospiron was being assisted by IOC members and former Olympians Jean-Claude Killy
Jean-Claude Killy
Jean-Claude Killy was an alpine ski racer, who dominated the sport in the late 1960s. He was a triple Olympic champion, winning the three alpine events at the 1968 Winter Olympics, becoming the most successful athlete there...
and Guy Drut
Guy Drut
Guy Drut is an Olympic champion and politician who won gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal in the 110m hurdles....
. However, his demission on December 12, 2011 has raised questions on the viability of the bid. On January 10, 2011, Charles Beigbeder was named as the new CEO for the Annecy bid. In addition, Olympic champions Jean-Pierre Vidal
Jean-Pierre Vidal
Jean-Pierre Vidal is a French alpine skier.As a young skier, he focused mainly on downhill. After hurting his knee, however, he decided to go for slalom...
and Pernilla Wiberg
Pernilla Wiberg
Pernilla Wiberg is a Swedish former alpine ski racer, who competed on the World Cup circuit between 1990 and 2002. On club level, she represented Norrköpings SK.-Career:...
were appointed as Vice Presidents of the bid. Beigbeder says he will seek more financial support for the bid from the private sector. Also announced with Beigbeder's appointment was the selection of Pierre Mirabaud as Director General of the bid. Mirabaud has been a regional government prefect, experience which Beigbeder says is needed by the bid.
Gunilla Lindberg
Gunilla Lindberg, born May 6, 1947 in Upplands Väsby is a Swedish sports official.Lindberg took up a position in the offices of the Swedish Olympic Committee in 1969, and was appointed SOC's Secretary-General in 1989. She was elected to the board of the European Olympic Committees in 1993, and was...
was cautious in her praise of Annecy. On a positive note, she told reporters: "We have during our visit witnessed very strong governmental support which the bid enjoys and this was highlighted by the presence of the President Sarkozy and many members of his cabinet throughout the visit. I think the bid committee of Annecy has listened to the comments made by the IOC [criticism of the spread-out venues in June] and there has been a big improvement, especially not having so many competition venues as was proposed." But there was no glowing assessment of the Annecy bid from Lindberg. The Swedish IOC member also gave no clue about any concerns that had arisen during the inspection team's four-day stay in the French Alpine town.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
also travelled to Annecy to meet with the IOC Evaluation Commission inspecting the city's bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. "The government will do everything possible, you can be sure, so that Annecy, applicant for the 2018 Winter Olympics, will be chosen," Sarkozy said. "Annecy's victory will be the victory of the entire nation, standing behind you." While pledging his support for the bid he said "you are trying hard. It's difficult. Your opponents are extremely powerful but I'm with you. If we win the Games it will be fantastic. And if we don't win, all we did will be useful for your cities and your region".
The territory proposed to host the Games is concentrated in Annecy and Mont Blanc where 65% of the venues are already built and "the world's leading winter sports destination". In a reference to difficult snow conditions at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, organizers made a guarantee of snow in Pays de Savoie where the average snowfall in February is 80 cm. Annecy is a smaller city, so the whole department of Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
will be used, including world famous ski resorts like Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
, Megève
Megève
Megève is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.Megève is a famous ski resort near the Mont-Blanc in the French Alps...
, La Clusaz
La Clusaz
La Clusaz is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Overview:It is a ski resort in the Alps near the Swiss border. The commune of La Clusaz is part of the Haute-Savoie département. An old village, La Clusaz has been hosting winter sports since 1907...
, Morzine
Morzine
Morzine is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France with panoramic mountain views, modern ski facilities and hotels and restaurants. The ski resort of Avoriaz is located on the territory of the commune...
and Le Grand Bornand. Spread over an area with a 50 km radius, everything is within an hour of Annecy, and two Olympic villages are planned., Of the 13 venues, six venues will require permanent upgrades, two new venues are already planned to be built, and four other venues will be built if the Games are hosted in Annecy. Sliding events will be at La Plagne
La Plagne
La Plagne is a French ski area in the alpine valley of the Tarentaise . Since 2003, La Plagne and the neighbouring resort of Les Arcs form Paradiski's ski area...
, the same facilities that were used for the 1992 Winter Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
in Albertville which have been upgraded in 2008.
However, in June 2010, the IOC criticized Annecy's bid stating that the competition venues were excessively dispersed. The IOC report was highly critical over the original venue plan, saying it would "present major operational and financial challenges" that would "affect the Games experience for all client groups, particularly athletes". On October 4, 2010 Annecy's leaders unveiled a new "ultra-compact" venue concept in response to the IOC concerns. Under the reworked venue plans, all ice and snow events would take place within a 21 mile radius at two main bases, Annecy and Chamonix, which are less than an hour apart and linked by motorway and the "Games Train". All alpine skiing will take place in Chamonix, which will also host ice hockey. All freestyle skiing and snowboard are now centered on Annecy. Curling has been relocated to Annecy, the hub of most ice sports, meaning that the Olympic Village will be a little bigger than previously, to accommodate 2,500 athletes and officials. The bid has moved the second Olympic Village (1,500 beds) from the Mont Blanc valley into the center of Chamonix.
On March 28, 2011, the CAO (Annecy Anti-Olympic Committee) stated that it wants to tell people about what "not only the excesses of the Olympics, the sport business, the financial stakes of multinationals and unacceptable demands of the IOC, but also on adverse impacts on the environment and on uncontrolled public spending with long-term debt for the Olympic city". The group says it has collected 13,140 names for its petition opposing plans to bring the Winter Olympics to Annecy. In a press release issued on the 28th, the opposition group cited information reported exclusively by media outlet Around the Rings that an IOC poll shows only 51 percent of the local population supports the Annecy candidacy.
Bid costs are US$ 21 million. Venue construction is set for $419 million and transport/infrastructure costs (including some already planned and some dependent on the Games) is $2.1 billion. Among the transport costs are a new high-capacity gondola connection between Flaine and Mont-Blanc,and a train link. The nearest airport service will be in Lyon and Geneva (35 minutes by car). Public support for the bid was 88% across France and 81% in the Annecy region.
Annecy's logo features the French Alps
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
, specifically Mt. Blanc, as well as suggesting the letter "A" for Annecy.
Munich
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Munich hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, and if selected would be the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games. Berlin and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
were considering a summer games bid for 2024 or 2028, but the German Olympic Committee is putting the Munich bid first. After Salzburg's failure to capture the 2014 bid, Germany feels it has a better chance and would prefer the Olympics sooner rather than later. Munich's bid head is figure skating superstar Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt is a German figure skater and model. In Germany she was commonly called "Kati" in the past, but today her full name is used more often....
, replacing skiing star/filmmaker/entrepreneur Willy Bogner, Jr. who had to step down due to health reasons.
Munich is stressing an environmental approach and will use existing venues in Munich (some from the 1972 Games), and existing venues in the Bavarian mountain resorts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
(location of the 1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
) and Schönau am Königssee, an hour away by car. Fifteen competition venues are proposed – eight exist, three require construction and four are temporary. To take environmental responsibility, new venue construction will be on existing sites in order to minimize land use. Ice events will be held in Munich in addition to the existing Olympic Stadium for ceremonies. The Olympic swimming pool will be adapted into a curling venue, figure skating and short track will be at Olympic hall, a hockey arena will be on the site of the old cycling stadium, and a second ice hockey arena and a speed skating oval that will be dismantled and used elsewhere after the Games. Garmisch-Partenkirchen Snow Park will house nine snow venues, Both locations will have Olympic villages. In the district of Berchtesgadener Land, located in close proximity of the border to Salzburg, Austria, the historic Koenigssee Sliding Center which will be renovated for the World Championships in 2011 for hosting bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.
Oberammergau
Oberammergau is a municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany. The town is famous for its production of a Passion Play, its woodcarvers, and the NATO School.-Passion Play:...
as site of the Nordic competitions. As a replacement, a state-owned stud near Ohlstadt
Ohlstadt
Ohlstadt is a municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany.-External links:*...
was chosen, which is located 200 meters lower than Oberammergau and more often than not snow free in February.
On February 22, 2011, land owners in Garmisch-Partenkirchen supporting the 'Nolympia' initiative began collecting signatures under efforts to force a vote to decide whether the town will back the bid. "The Olympic Winter Games are too big for Garmisch-Partenkirchen. With more than fifty events in the snow cluster there are almost five times as many events as the world ski championships," said Nolympia backer Axel Doering. "Our goal is to win a referendum, so that the contracts be reviewed. Another goal is to finally show that the alleged "huge majority" [of support] for the Olympic Winter Games is a myth," he added. Munich's bid plans call for the leasing of land from private land owners for the Games. German Olympic committee President Thomas Bach
Thomas Bach
Thomas Bach is a German fencer and, as of 2009, a vice-president and member of the executive board of the International Olympic Committee...
says complaints by landowners in Garmisch-Partenkirchen are not a problem for the bid. "It's not a problem at all because for the field of play, it's one piece of land with 800 square meters. The piece of land was there for the alpine world championships six weeks before," says Bach. He added "we have seen this at the world championships they were all going down on this very slope and they will go down in 2018, hopefully."
On February 28, 2011 the IOC evaluation commission traveled to Munich and to the other cities, in which competitions would be held. The 1972 Olympic Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was the high point of the IOC's tour. IOC Evaluation Commission chair Gunilla Lindberg says her inspection team has "absolutely felt the atmosphere and passion" for the Olympics at the end of its four-day inspection of the Munich bid. "The general impression is that it is a strong bid with strong governmental support. It is a good team on the bid committee and Germany is a big winter sports country used to organizing competitions." IOC vice president Thomas Bach insisted that 2018 was a good time for the IOC and Olympic Movement to bring the Games to the traditional winter sports city of Munich to "recharge the batteries after having been to new regions, with 2014 to Sochi and 2016 to Rio". German chancellor Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
says Munich has a "very good chance" of winning the race to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. She added, "The world can look forward to Germany hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2018."
In addition to its historical strength as a passionate winter sports nation, figure skating superstar Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt is a German figure skater and model. In Germany she was commonly called "Kati" in the past, but today her full name is used more often....
is promoting the bid, as well as 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
star alpine skier Maria Riesch
Maria Riesch
Maria Höfl-Riesch is a champion alpine ski racer. She won gold medals in slalom and super combined at the 2010 Winter Olympics and won the World Cup overall title in 2011....
and Olympic champion Bavarian biathlete Magdalena Neuner
Magdalena Neuner
Magdalena "Lena" Neuner is a German professional biathlete. She is the most successful woman of all time at Biathlon World Championships and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the age of 21, she became the youngest Overall World Cup winner in the history of the International Biathlon Union...
.
Within the IOC, Munich has a strong ally with IOC vice president Thomas Bach
Thomas Bach
Thomas Bach is a German fencer and, as of 2009, a vice-president and member of the executive board of the International Olympic Committee...
, who could swing the vote to Munich, even though the 2014 Games will have been held in Europe as well. Nevertheless, Munich is already considering a bid for 2022
2022 Winter Olympics
The XXIV Olympic Winter Games, or the 2022 Winter Olympics, is an event to be organized by the International Olympic Committee. The winning bid will be announced in 2015 at the 127th IOC Session.- Asia : Kazakhstan- Europe : Spain...
if this bid fails.
Organizers have budgeted USD$42 million for the bid and USD$331 million for venues with $143 million budgeted for an ice hockey arena. $743 million is allotted for new and planned transportation improvements.
The slogan of the Games is Die Spiele im Herzen (The games at heart) and it is also being tagged as "the friendly Games". The logo is a stylized M, reminiscent of the Bavarian mountain silhouettes as well as the awnings in Munich's Olympic Park.
Pyeongchang
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After losing the bids for the 2010
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
and 2014 Winter Olympics
2014 Winter Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi, Russia with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and...
, Gangwon Province Gov. Jin-sun Kim announced in September 2007 that Pyeongchang would bid a third time. He cited increased knowledge of the bidding process and the enthusiasm of residents as reasons to keep trying. According to a survey by The Chosun Ilbo
The Chosun Ilbo
The Chosun Ilbo is one of the major newspapers in South Korea. With a daily circulation of over 2,200,000, the Chosun Ilbo has undertaken annual inspections since Audit Bureau of Circulations was established in 1993...
on 23 December 2009, 91.4% of Koreans, 93.4% of Pyeongchang and Jeongseon residents, and 93% of Gangwon residents supported the 2018 Winter Olympics bid. South Korea's figure skating superstar and 2010 Olympic champion
Figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Ladies' singles
The ladies' single skating competition of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The short program was held on February 23, 2010, with the free skating held on February 25, 2010.-Short program:...
Kim Yuna and IOC member and Samsung Group
Samsung Group
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
chairman Lee Kun-hee
Lee Kun-hee
Lee Kun-hee is Chairman of Samsung Electronics. He resigned on April 21, 2008 owing to Samsung Slush funds scandal, but returned on March 24, 2010. Lee has a degree in economics from Waseda University in Tokyo and attended an MBA course at George Washington University in the United States in 1966...
promoted the bid.
The Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
Chairman and principal owner Lee Kun-hee
Lee Kun-hee
Lee Kun-hee is Chairman of Samsung Electronics. He resigned on April 21, 2008 owing to Samsung Slush funds scandal, but returned on March 24, 2010. Lee has a degree in economics from Waseda University in Tokyo and attended an MBA course at George Washington University in the United States in 1966...
, given a 3-year suspended sentence for tax evasion and illegal bond dealing, was reportedly pardoned by the South Korean president Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
with the hope that his connections and financial support would boost the chances of Pyeongchang.
On February 16, 2011, the IOC Evaluation Commission arrived in Korea for inspection of Pyeongchang’s bid. "We have seen great progress in the bid from the two previous bids," commission chairwoman Gunilla Lindberg said. "We have also seen progress in Korean winter sports during the last four years." Speaking at the IOC news conference following the inspection of Pyeongchang and venues in Gangwon Province, Lindberg said "I must also mention the passionate support of Gangwon residents. During our site visits it has been wonderful to see so many people to show their support to bring the Olympic Movement to Korea."
Seven venues had been built since the previous bids, including ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
slopes, and biathlon
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
and cross country skiing courses. Pyeongchang would be a compact Olympic Games, with travel times of less than 30 minutes between the main accommodation in Alpensia resort and the venues and 10 minutes between venues. A new 250 km per hour KTX
Korea Train Express
Korea Train eXpress is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the first section of the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. The project was later split into two phases and combined with conventional line upgrades, adding a second route from Seoul to...
line will be built between Seoul and Wonju
Wonju
Wonju is the most populous city in Gangwon province, South Korea.Wonju is a city approximately east of Seoul and the capital can be reached within 1hr 30minutes by bus or train. Wonju is home to three major universities which attract many students from Seoul and elsewhere. They provide facilities...
via Pyeongchang putting Pyeongchang within 50 minutes of Seoul.
German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
reporter Dietmar Gessner from Sport Bild
Sport Bild
Sport Bild is a German sports weekly published every Wednesday. According to its publisher it is Europe's biggest sports magazine with a circulation of almost half million copies....
said that "in Asia including Korea you can create more customers. You can make lots of money for winter sports.."
Pyeongchang’s slogan is “New Horizons.” The bid's logo suggests the winter scenery of Pyeongchang with snow on the mountains. The curve implies a will to win and symbolizes a snowboard and slope of winter sports.
Potential cities overview
These cities launched bids or indicated interest, but ultimately did not bid to the IOC.Almaty
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
Almaty bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics
2014 Winter Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi, Russia with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and...
, but did not make the short list. Bukovel
Bukovel
Bukovel is a ski- and spa-resort located in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast of western Ukraine. The resort is located almost on the ridge-lines of the Carpathian Mountains at elevation of above the sea level near the village of Polyanytsya...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
The Ukrainian government announced in 2006 that Ukraine's popular Bukovel ski and snowboard resort was expanding in expectation of a bid. Bursa, Turkey In the western Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
mountains, some events would be at the Uludağ National Park. China Li Zhanshu
Li Zhanshu
Li Zhanshu is a Chinese politician. Li is the current Governor of Heilongjiang province in northeast China.Li Zhanshu was born in Hebei province in 1950. He became a member of the Communist Party of China in 1975.-Politics:...
, governor of Heilongjiang Province
Heilongjiang
For the river known in Mandarin as Heilong Jiang, see Amur River' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. "Heilongjiang" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑...
expressed interest for Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
, host of the 2009 Winter Universiade
2009 Winter Universiade
The 2009 Winter Universiade, the XXIV Winter Universiade took place in Harbin, China. Student athletes from 44 countries took part in the games.-Selection:Harbin was selected by FISU on January 10, 2005 over future 2011 Winter Universiade host city Erzurum...
, or possibly Changchun
Changchun
Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and...
. Xinhua reported neither city will bid due to a number of reasons including weak infrastructure. France Gap
Gap, Hautes-Alpes
Gap is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes department.-Geography:An Alpine crossroads at the intersection of D994 and Route nationale 85 the Route Napoléon, Gap lies above sea level along the right bank of the Luye River...
looked at the idea of a bid, but withdrew it in September 2008. The cities of Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, and Pelvoux
Pelvoux
Pelvoux is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Pelvoux was bidding to be the French candidate city for the 2018 Winter Olympics.-Population:-External links:* *...
also expressed interest to the French Olympic Committee, but were passed over for Annecy. Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland Geneva planned to launch a bid pending a public referendum, but the city decided to bid in 2022
2022 Winter Olympics
The XXIV Olympic Winter Games, or the 2022 Winter Olympics, is an event to be organized by the International Olympic Committee. The winning bid will be announced in 2015 at the 127th IOC Session.- Asia : Kazakhstan- Europe : Spain...
instead. The Swiss Olympic Committee did not support the bid. Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
A 2007 report indicated the New Zealand Olympic Committee
New Zealand Olympic Committee
The New Zealand Olympic Committee is the body in New Zealand responsible for selecting athletes to represent New Zealand in the Summer and Winter Olympic and the Commonwealth Games....
suggested a bid for a combined Queenstown
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
- Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
bid. Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
, Sweden The new government did not show the same enthusiasm of bidding as the previous one. The political change was already made during a bid by the Swedish Olympic Committee
Swedish Olympic Committee
The Swedish Olympic Committee is the Swedish National Olympic Committee . The Swedish Olympic Committee organize the Swedish participation in the Olympics, choose the participants and run the "Elitprogrammet".The committee has 35 Olympic national federations members and 12 by the IOC national...
. It would have been the eighth attempt at bidding in the Winter Olympics, after many bids finished as runner ups. Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Bosnia and Herzegovina After losing a bid for the 2010 games, Sarajevo expressed interest in bidding for the 2018 games. Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria Vessela Lecheva, BOC chairwoman announced plans to have at least one project for a multifunctional hall in Sofia to improve chances after three failed bids. Sofia is considering a bid for the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
2016 Winter Youth Olympics
The 2016 Winter Youth Olympics is a major international sports and cultural festival to be celebrated in the tradition of the Youth Olympic Games in the Winter of 2016 during the XXXI Olympiad....
. Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, Norway Tromso beat Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
and the joint-bid Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
–Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
. The bid cost became contentious in Norway, National support was also low, with only 38% in favor of the bid; however bid head Petter Rønningen cited polls showing stronger support. Finally the application was withdrawn due to a lack of support. Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
Bohinj
Bohinj
Bohinj is a municipality in the Upper Carniola region of northwestern Slovenia, covering the 20 km long and 5 km wide Bohinj basin of the Sava Bohinjka river within the Julian Alps, characterized by the periglacial Lake Bohinj...
mayor Franc Kramar proposed a bid with seven other mayors in Upper Carniola region. United States Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
(previously chosen to host the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, but eventually declined the games), Reno
Reno
Reno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
–Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
–California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and 2002
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
host Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. expressed interest. The USOC declined to bid, focusing on the unsuccessful Chicago 2016 Olympic bid
Chicago 2016 Olympic bid
The Chicago bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics was an unsuccessful campaign, first recognized by the International Olympic Committee on September 14, 2007...
instead, and will not bid until at least the 2022 Winter Olympics
2022 Winter Olympics
The XXIV Olympic Winter Games, or the 2022 Winter Olympics, is an event to be organized by the International Olympic Committee. The winning bid will be announced in 2015 at the 127th IOC Session.- Asia : Kazakhstan- Europe : Spain...
. Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain There were initiatives to present Zaragoza. However, the mayor announced they would reserve the bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics
2022 Winter Olympics
The XXIV Olympic Winter Games, or the 2022 Winter Olympics, is an event to be organized by the International Olympic Committee. The winning bid will be announced in 2015 at the 127th IOC Session.- Asia : Kazakhstan- Europe : Spain...
, reasoning it would be unlikely for Europe to be awarded due to the unofficial continental rotation policy, giving the failure of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
's 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...
as an example.
Predicting indices
Two websites, GamesBids.comGamesBids
GamesBids.com is an Olympic bid news and information web site created in Toronto, Canada, by Robert Livingstone.The goal of the site, which was originally named Torontosummergames.com, was to follow the bid by the city of Toronto to organize the Games of the XXIXth Olympiad in 2008...
and Around the Rings, feature predicting indices which specialize in evaluations of Olympic Games bids. They periodically release analysis of the candidates and assigns them a score between 0 and 100, or 0 and 110 respectively. The score produces a number that can be used to rate a bid relative to past successful bids - and possibly gauge its potential future success. GamesBids.com's scale is called BidIndex, ATR's is called the Power Index.
PowerIndex predicted that Munich would win, while BidIndex predicted that PyeongChang would win. Annecy was at a distant third, lagging behind 13 points in the BidIndex and 10 points behind in the PowerIndex. Ratings for the BidIndex are from April 2011 and rating for the PowerIndex are from June 2011.
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External links
Bid books
- Annecy bid book
- Munich 2018 Bid Book PDF-Download and Interactive Version
- PyeongChang Applicant bid book
Eliminated candidates