Berlin wants to put up 2.5 million Euro in a bid for the 2024 or 2028 Summer Olympic Games, hoping that the German Olympic Committee (DOSB) will select the city to represent Germany, over the city of Hamburg.
The Berliner Morgenpost reported Sunday that only one million Euro will come from city funds, and the remainder would be made up from existing funds from the former “Be Berlin” public relations campaign. The rest of the money would come from private firms such as Wall, which has said it would provide billboards at no cost to the city.
A poll is to be conducted in February to determine Germany’s candidate city. Michael Vesper, head of the DOSB, told Focus magazine in an interview published Saturday, that his committee will announce its choice on March 21 in Frankfurt. He said, “we’ll then be able to see reliable figures and see where each city stands. Both cities could be the host”.
According to Berlin senate documents Berlin has spent 234,000 Euro on an ad campaign under the slogan “we want the games!”. The slogan can be found on Berlin buses, in television and radio ads, as well as on Air Berlin planes and at the Tegel Airport.
The Berlin bid committee has said it would use the Olympic stadium which was built for Hitler’s games as the main venue, as well as several other venues from those games held nearly 80 years ago.
Meanwhile Hamburg’s bid says there would be a new Olympic Stadium which would see its seating reduced following the Games to ensure future use. Most of the Olympic sites are planned for the Grasbrook area.
Munich was the last German city to host the Olympics which were held in 1972.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will announce the host city for the 2024 Summer Games in 2017.
