Bids For The 2012 Winter Youth Olympics - Host City Overview

Host City Overview

• Innsbruck, Austria

Innsbruck hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. AOC head Dr. Leo Wallner says the city is "predestined" to be the first host because of their experience, sport sites, and the spectacular Alps. Recent experience includes the Air & Style Snowboard Contest from 1994 to 1999 and 2008, the 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, and the 2005 Winter Universiade (with Seefeld). Innsbruck's Bergisel is expected to once again be the centerpiece of the bid.

Martin Schnitzer, CEO of Innsbruck 2012, outlined Innsbruck’s plan on June 19, 2008. All the venues are concentrated in two zones in Innsbruck and Seefeld, with only two temporary structures to be built. The Culture and Education Programme has the potential to generate a "digital media phenomenon" and will be based in Innsbruck Congress Centre. Innsbruck has committed to building a new Olympic Village that will be within 15 minutes of the venues and later become much needed social housing. In addition, the Innsbruck Tyrol region has invested US$225 million in venue and infrastructure in recent years.

Per the IOC report, Innsbruck was found to have a compact plan (using some venues in nearby Seefeld), strong experience and support, and a creative cultural and educational concept. The largest weakness are the plans for the Olympic Village, which will be both crowded (8:1 bed to bath ratio) and be under a very tight turnaround to build, although the Austrians assure it can be completed on schedule. They have presented an alternate plan with lower bed/bath ratios (4-5:1) but which will disperse participants, which is not preferred by the IOC. The budget for the Games is US$ 22 million.

In revealing the Finalist list, Innsbruck's bid received top accolades as the IOC evaluation suggested that "the city of Innsbruck presents the least risk to the IOC".