Flanders Olympic bid ‘feasible’

13 April 2004

BRUSSELS – The Flanders region of Belgium may join the international race of bids to hold the 2016 Olympic games after an official report found the project financially feasible, local officials said Tuesday.

The total cost of organising the games would amount to EUR 4.1 billion, concluded a report commissioned by the Flanders regional government.

Of this overall expenditure, EUR 2.7 billion would be allocated to the building of specific sports facilities which the the study estimated would be largely covered by commercial and national funds, leaving the Flemish authorities with costs of EUR 820 million.

This would be entirely refunded through the influx of trade and tourism, concluded the report, presented by Flemish regional president and minister Bart Somers, who lent his support for a future Olympic bid.

The Flanders regional assembly is expected to decide later this year whether to officially launch the region’s candidature for the games.

 
[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

                                                  Subject: Belgian news