(ATR) Italian politicians and sport leaders proclaim that Milan-Cortina is a stronger 2026 Olympic bid than rival Stockholm-Are.
"There is a feeling of respect for Stockholm, but the bid of Cortina is stronger because we have a stronger will to host the Games," said Cortina d'Ampezzo mayor Gianpietro Ghedina. "There is a will from local governments, of the national government and polls show 85 percent of the public support the Games.
"Cortina is already working towards the world championships 2021, but has the dream of hosting the Winter Olympics," Ghedina said, noting the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships that the Dolomites resort won the right to host in June 2016.
Ghedina listed the positive aspects of the bid, saying it is low cost, uses existing infrastructure, and focuses on the environment, In addition, he also trumpeted Cortina's status as a hub of winter sports and described Milan as currently the most representative city of Italy and a proven host of major events.
Milan commissioner Roberta Guerriero suggested that the Cortina bid is stronger than its opponent "especially because of the sunshine that we have here – that the people in Sweden don’t have so much."
The Italian politicians addressed media on the sidelines of this past weekend’s ladies’ Alpine Ski World Cup in Cortina, an annual event in the 1956 Olympic host city since the 1970’s.
Unlike failed 2026 bids from Canada, Austria and Switzerland, there has been no public referendum to potentially derail Italy’s latest Olympic bid.
"There wasn’t a referendum, although we have over 80 percent of public support and moreover these figures are on the national level," said Antonio Rossi, the minister of sport for the Lombardy region and a three-time Olympic gold medalist in canoe sprint.
"It is important to involve the local population making them feel like protagonists and not just spectators of the event," he said.
"As you can see from this weekend’s ski races the citizens are very proud to come out and show their support," added the Cortina mayor.
"There is also very strong political support, not just on the national level, but also on the local level from all the different councils of the political parties."
Milan-Cortina plans for a budget of 1.3 billion euros ($1.48 billion), 814 million euros ($925 million) of which would be covered by IOC contributions.
Rossi and Federico Caner, the minister of sport for the Veneto region, discussed the shared finances between the two major regions of the bid.
They advised a 344 million euro investment will be needed for venues and sporting infrastructure. The cost breakdown is 211 million euros for Lombardy and approximately 130 million euros for Veneto. Financing will come from both public and private sectors.
The Cortina bid also includes a costly renovation of the town’s bobsleigh track, which hasn’t been used since 2008.
Ghedina said between 35 and 38 million euros will be spent to renovate the dilapidated venue, which is near the 1956 Olympic hockey stadium, where the opening ceremony was held.
Women's alpine skiing, the sliding sports and curling are the events proposed to be held in Cortina according to the candidature file submitted to the IOC on Jan. 11.
Another potential hurdle for Cortina - unlike in the past when a cable car from near Hotel de la Poste carried skiers up to the slopes, there are no longer lifts serving the race venue from town. Athletes, staff, media and spectators must be shuttled about 350 meters from the town to the base of the venue. Traffic on the winding, narrow roads can quickly get backed up.
Veteran ski racer Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein says that Cortina still requires improvements in infrastructure and ski lifts to become a world-class host city.
"I really like the slopes here, but when you compare it to Austria the hotels and stuff are for sure not on the same standard yet, but maybe the world championships will help that and get people to invest more," Weirather said.
Caner said improvements are in progress and that "tourism is the focus of the Veneto region when it comes to major events."
"The bid is a great chance to revise the mountain regions," he said. "The infrastructure will be re-used and it will offer a chance to revise the area. There is a plan to build new ski lifts in the area, but with a sustainable approach."
A winning bid for Milan-Cortina would mark a return of the Winter Olympics to the venerable Italian resort 70 years since it lasted hosted in 1956. Despite Sweden’s storied tradition and great success in ice hockey and both alpine and Nordic skiing, it has never hosted the Winter Games.
The IOC is scheduled to select the 2026 host city at the Lausanne session in June.
Written and reported by Brian Pinelli in Cortina d’Ampezzo
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