Madrid 2016’s presentation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Wednesday in Lausanne touched on three themes – Mission and Vision, Technical Project and The Safest Option.
In addressing the members of the IOC, Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon said, “we need to believe in Madrid in order to create a new model of multiculturalism in which everyone is involved and benefits from the Games in a way never seen before 2016”.
The presentation included a video message from Joe Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of the government, guaranteeing the security as well as the necessary investments to organize the Games. He gave his complete support for Madrid’s bid saying, “I can assure you that all public services related to security, civil protection, traffic and immigration during the 2016 Games are guaranteed by the Government”. Zapatero announced he will accompany King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain to Copenhagen October 2 when the 2016 host city will be elected.
Madrid calls its Games “the Games with the Human Touch” that will be applied to a new model of multicultural living, which will extend to other cities. The Mayor announced that all sports will have their own installation after the Games and there will be on extra hour of Physical Education in colleges; tourism and business opportunities will increase; 800 hectares of green areas will be regenerated, and the public perception of the efficient use of new energy sources and the effective use of public transport will improve.
Madrid says it has the best climate and the best time zone.
A Madrid 2016 Games would be compact and reliable with 27 of the 28 venues situated within a 10-km radius from the city centre and 77 per cent of those are already in use, under construction, or planned.
The project has two areas – the Core Zone with 13 venues is the “Heart of the Games” which has the Village and the Olympic Stadium, and the River Zone with 11 venues to be used for sporting activities and for entertainment after the Games.
The construction of temporary venues and the work done to modify all competition venues will cost $167 million and is 100 per cent guaranteed that it would be financed through the COJO budget. The total investment of Madrid 2016 in venues will be $630 million and any deficit will be covered by the Council, Regions and Community, and the Government of Spain.
Madrid 2016 has excellent tap water; a green belt in the city with more than 300-km of bicycle lanes and the exclusive use of electric buses; the regeneration of 800-hectares of brownfield sites; and it will promote the use of good environmental practices and the efficient use of energy.
The City of Madrid has the second largest metro network in Europe, which now connects 95 per cent of the venues and in 2016 will connect them all. High-speed trains connect Madrid with the sub-venues, and the airport, which has a capacity of 75 million passengers a year.
Madrid has 70,225 hotel rooms of which 83 per cent are within a 10-km radius of the Olympic Village.
The Madrid COJO budget, of which 80 per cent will be designed for the construction of Olympic venues, is guaranteed by Spain’s government, the Autonomous Region and the Council of Madrid and is exempt from taxes. The $2,600 million budget – $658 million from sponsorship deposits – is consistent with the provisions of world economic growth. More than 90 per cent of the revenues are guaranteed.
Madrid says it has the lower crime rate in Europe and is prepared to face any possible eventuality or risk of catastrophe. Madrid has experienced security forces, with large resources and experienced intelligence services with proven results of international cooperation. During the Games there will be a bespoke command structure led by the Minister of the Interior.
Also, 93.6 per cent of Spaniards want to host the Games in Madrid.
