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The Olympic venues


Ziaka

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A lot has been said lately about the Olympic constructions in Athens and elswhere. The big question is if the various stadiums and venues will be will be ready on August 13, 2004.

In this thread we can follow the various venues.

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According to my newspaper, It looks like this will be a disaster. :bangin: They say that the trail for running is not finish paving, the glass roof for the swimming stadium is not built, and the roof for the main stadium is incomplete. :wacko: According to The Accociated Press, Jaques Rogue told Athens to "not worry about the frills" :lol: , in which he means the details. Has anyone seen progress down in Athens? Did Athens procrastinate that long to not have some things complete yet? :o Or are the Associated Press just over-exaggerating? :P Please respond. :tup:

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Am I the only one who is worried that a pane (or two) of glass, from this hastily constructed roof, might land on a spectator's head? :unsure:

Btw, won't a glass roof, under a Summer Attica sun, have a green-house effect on the spectators? :huh:

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Rush to finish Athens venue

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics_2...004/3520314.stm

Greek officials have revealed work on the Olympic Stadium in Athens will be completed only three weeks before the start of the Games.

Delays in construction of the roof means it will not be ready until 20 July, so pre-Games test events will go ahead with work still in progress.

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Hopefully not when I am at the stadium ...

Ziaka,

Which days will you go to the stadium? So far I've booked up for Friday 27th, and the closing ceremony, and quite fancy the soccer final.

As for the glass roof, I'm sure it'll be a high-spec reflective type, blue in colour I believe. So hopefully it won't be too hot beneath it.

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I'm finding the whole notion of these incomplete venues to be laughable. Greece had an opportunity to really show the world something special, and they had eight goddamn years to do it in. Instead, they bickered, bribed, sat around, and did squat for the majority of the 8 years. This is completely rediculous and reflects badly on us.

I know there have been certain elements working against Greece. And I know that Greece is the smallest country to ever host a summer games, but any criticism about the venues not being finished is well deserved in my opinion.

Good luck with the rest of the venues---I think they are truly going to need it.

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Ziaka,

Which days will you go to the stadium?

Don't know yet. I am still trying to get some kind of a schedule in place for my stay in Greece.

I'll have to pencil in a meeting with The Mouseman as well. If I remember right, he offered to buy a round of beer. B)

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Looking at the latest pictures on the live webcam, the Karaiskaki appears to be developing into one hell of an arena. It will be a very intimidating atmosphere I'd imagine, being so close to the pitch, and completely roofed.

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IOC chief hails velodrome

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics_2...004/3580717.stm

The International Olympic Committee's chief inspector has welcomed the Greek authorities' success after a roof was successfully slid over the velodrome.

Denis Oswald said the exercise was a good warm-up for the greater challenge posed by the main stadium.

"The slide could be seen as a warm up for the main stadium's roof, so it had to go well," said Oswald.

Oswald, who was completing a two-day inspection, said he remained confident the Athens venues would be completed.

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What i dont get, is that everyone is worrying about the roofs of the stadiums and venues! I would be more worried is that the area surrunding these venues is still a construction site, where is the paving, the trees, the modern age art and walk ways showing off how far Athens has gone since they last held the games?

And yes, apart from that, there is STILL no COMPLETED roof on the main stadium (And only one side will be completed), there is no roof on the swimming complex, some venues dont even have electricity!!. The shooting centre has be discribed as a joke and a disgrace to Greek Sport by some American, British and Australian shooters! (The Suns (Aus) The LA Times (USA) BBC World (ENG) sources )

Despite all this, all of the running events outside the main stadium will be the highlight of the games, considering Athens rich history.

As many people have said, i dont think the games will be a failier and can only enhance the spirit of the games, but all in all, i dont think that Athens can contend with the quality and excelence that thew world witnessed at the Sydney Games

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HA!

You by yourself have urged me to sign up, just to shut you up....

What i dont get, is that everyone is worrying about the roofs of the stadiums and venues! I would be more worried is that the area surrunding these venues is still a construction site, where is the paving, the trees, the modern age art and walk ways showing off how far Athens has gone since they last held the games?

Only roof anybody is worrying about is the roof of one stadium, not stadium(s). If you take a look at Athens, keep up to date instead of being bias and having an agenda, you will see Athens is starting to clean up around the 90% FINISHED venues and stadiums.... Greenary is starting to be put up. I will use the biggest example, that of OAKA the main Olympic Complex. All one has to do, is take a look at it and trees have already been planted by the thousands. Grass starting to be implemented around venues finishing up. It really is a beautiful thing. Many Esthetic constructions, of various purposes, have and are being constructed at this time. Athens will not only provide the basics for an Olympic Games, but will go beyond that, in many ways. Comfortable, safe, exciting and glorious. Not to mention filled with history is what is awaiting.

And yes, apart from that, there is STILL no COMPLETED roof on the main stadium (And only one side will be completed), there is no roof on the swimming complex, some venues dont even have electricity!!. The shooting centre has be discribed as a joke and a disgrace to Greek Sport by some American, British and Australian shooters! (The Suns (Aus) The LA Times (USA) BBC World (ENG) sources )

Ah, sad, sad, sad. 1) We were never obligated to build a roof over the Swimming venues. It is not important. It would have been nice, but Athens orginizers never intented to put one not because of a lack of time, but because of the cost involved on putting a roof over a POOL. Barcelona had no roof, as did many other Olympic host countries. Media and people like yourself think it's the end of the world, like it is so hard to have the competition in the morning or late afternoon (even at night, yes thats right, we actually have electricity :o ). The IOC knew there was no roof, and never said we had to build one. I love how all of our "Anglo" friends, act as if we were incapable of building one... ha.... they chose not to build one, after taking all facts into consideration. Not only that, but why cover the pools outside, when we already have an indoor pool?

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http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/3442543....53862C5C2694362

http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/3442540....F6ED49339EFF98B

Not to shabby eh? Want some Athletes quotes? Here you go....

Jinghui YANG (China)

“The Venue is truly impressive. We were very excited by the conditions in the pool”.

Philippe COMTOIS (Canada)

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3) The Olympic Stadium, which I keep up to date with every day, is actually AHEAD of schedule at the moment. Here is again some more quotes/articles:

Athens Will Meet Project Deadlines

Denis Oswald, the International Olympic Committee's chief inspector overseeing preparations for the Athens Games said that the Olympics preparations are in a very positive phase, with very good progress in different projects, while visiting the sites on 24/3/2004. He expressed fresh hope that Olympic delays will be overcome.

"I must say I am now very optimistic,'' Oswald said. "There has been in the last four to five weeks a number of very positive elements.'' Oswald was alluding to the change in government March 7, when Premier Costas Caramanlis' became Prime Minister, and has since taken personal charge of the Olympics: the government has scaled down some projects while speeding up others.

While Oswald toured the velodrome, he was joined by Prince Albert of Monaco, who happened to be taking his own private tour of the construction site. He was in Athens to take part in the Olympic flame relay. The prince said that there is no doubt in his mind that things will get done.

Associated Press

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Post-Olymipcs Travelers - Biggest Winners

Cindy Loose pens an article entitled: "In Athens, Work Before Play, Post-Olympics Travelers Will Be Games' Biggest Winners", on the Washington Post's website, 18/4/2004. In her article, Loose notes that there are several positive aspects in Athens, such as the imposing view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon.

Despite the barrage of negative news regarding the preparations for Athens' Summer Olympics (unfinished projects, the likelihood of inadequate transportation, etc.), Cindy Loose highlights important accomplishments in the city under the Acropolis. For example, she notes that "Athens will provide a stellar backdrop for the Games", including the view of the Parthenon and the Acropolis, "both of which are more imposing and beautiful than millions of pictures have ever portrayed", graceful columns and other ancient ruins, the deep blue sea, and more.

Athens is being transformed, and several years and billions of dollars have been spent improving infrastructure and tourist attractions. The best picture is seen upon arrival at the airport, with its new glass-and-marble terminal, the Athens International Airport, which can handle 600 flights a day, 16 million passengers a year. The new subway has new "sparkling stations that are a little like mini-convention centers".

Moreover, entire neighbourhoods in Athens have been rehabilitated. For example Gazi, where the old gasworks plants were, has been "turned into a mecca of restaurants and nightclubs" notes Loose. And finally, she refers to this small country of 11 million, which is "spending about a billion dollars on security for the Games - triple what Sydney spent."

(For more on this article, www.washingtonpost.com, where free registration is required)

Washington Post

btw.... is this the Olympic Stadium that you speak of, that will only have one roof completed?

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And this was a days ago, last time I let a few days pass, they were half way done with the East Side. :lol: West side is COMPLETE, and will be moved into position in the next couple days, the East side to follow 3-4 days after that. Boy were you wrong, no matter how much you wanted to be right. :)

(older pics)

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I don't know why I waste my time with people like you.... more pics and ass kicking to come. :box:

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Velodrome... and just a taste of the greenary starting to be put in.

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Pretty freaking cool eh? :tup:

More Green :o

http://briefcase.pathfinder.gr/download/io...0/mDSC00012.JPG

http://briefcase.pathfinder.gr/download/io...0/mDSC00016.JPG

http://briefcase.pathfinder.gr/download/io...0/mDSC00027.JPG

Like I said, just the beginning and early stages of landscaping....

:)

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