Italy will host the Winter Olympics in one year with joint hosts Milan and Cortina bringing the event back to Europe for the first time in 20 years.
With builders facing a race against time, Alex Fraser speaks to those in Italy still hopeful everything will be completed on time and on budget.
#italy #winterolympics #cortina #milan
With builders facing a race against time, Alex Fraser speaks to those in Italy still hopeful everything will be completed on time and on budget.
#italy #winterolympics #cortina #milan
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00:00The famous five rings of the Olympics stand in front of the Dolomites.
00:04In just under a year, the Winter Games begin, including here in Cortina.
00:09It's the first time a Winter Olympics has had multiple host cities.
00:13While tourists ski on the Olympic slope above the town,
00:17construction workers are building a new arena for bobsleigh events.
00:21It has been controversial since the original proposal to renovate a 100-year-old track faltered.
00:26The International Olympic Committee even proposed using a venue outside of Italy instead.
00:31After an intervention by the Italian government, work began on a new track here in Cortina one year ago.
00:37With testing due to start at the end of March, the head of the project is convinced everything will be ready on time.
00:43It's a difficult project, however we are tackling it with the right spirit and competency in respect of time, costs and quality.
00:52I must say we are working towards plan A. Other people can worry about any emergency.
00:59If they don't make the deadline, plan B involves moving events to Lake Placid in America, over 6,000 km away,
01:06which will be a huge embarrassment for Italy.
01:09The cost of building the Cortina circuit is so far estimated at $123 million.
01:15Local critics fear it could become a white elephant.
01:19We won't need this facility because bobsleigh is a sport that no longer has any athletes.
01:24There are about 20 or so bobsleigh athletes and another 30 or so between luge and skeleton.
01:29So it's a sport that will have no future and we will be saddled with it.
01:35Cortina will host bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, women's alpine skiing and curling.
01:41It has hosted before in 1956.
01:44The original Olympic stadium has been renovated and will be used for curling.
01:48Officials hope that the new facility will have similar longevity.
01:52The new sliding centre will be very important for the legacy of Cortina.
01:56Cortina has an old history, an old tradition in this kind of sport
02:01and for sure the new facility will put again Cortina in the centre of the map.
02:09400km away, Milan will host the opening ceremony, Olympic village, skating and ice hockey.
02:15Events will also be held at six other locations,
02:18meaning spectators will have to travel long distances between competitions.
02:22Alex Fraser, CGTN, Cortina d'Ampezzo.