Fate of Hamburg 2024 in Hands of Voters

(ATR) Hamburg Olympic bid leaders believe they have mobilized enough support to get the required ‘Yes’ votes in Sunday’s referendum.

On Thursday, bid chief Nikolas Hill met with German interior minister Thomas de Maizière, German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) president Alfons Hörmann and Hamburg mayor Olaf Scholz. They remain confident of the outcome of Sunday’s vote.

"We handed over the baton to the citizens of Hamburg and Kiel," Hormann said. "The excellent turnout shows that the project of the Olympic Games has arrived in the city."

More than 40 percent of the 1.3 million eligible citizens have already voted by postal ballot, ahead of voting on Sunday.

Despite the 2006 German World Cup cash-for-votes scandal and corruption shockwaves coursing through FIFA and the IAAF, De Maizière encouraged the electorate to cast their votes.

"Precisely in view of the debates on major international sports federations, Hamburg and Germany demonstrate that a clean, fair, sustainable application can lead to success," he said.

Against the backdrop of an increased global terrorist threat following the Paris attacks, he said Germany could prove that it can organize safe Games.

An agreement on funding for the bidding and staging costs for the 2024 Olympics does not yet exist between the government and Hamburg.

"With regard to the finances, we are in a good conversation," De Maiziere said. "It's about a lot of money."

DOSB president Hörmann added: "I'm not worried that it will not be possible to find an amicable and reasonable solution."

The Hamburg Senate wants the federal government to contribute 6.2 billion euros ($6.6 bn), with 1.2 billion to come from the Hanseatic city. Overall, the Games will cost 11.2 billion euros. Revenues of 3.8 billion euros are forecast.

Hörmann said if more than 50 percent of the electorate favored the bid proceeding, Hamburg would continue its efforts in the race against rivals Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome. Hesaid a successful referendum result would be "the urgently needed tail wind for the whole of German sport".

He fears significant consequences for German sport’s funding, if it fails: "To a certain extent yes, because then a lot of positive effects for sport would not occur if the application fails in Hamburg."

Mayor Scholz underlined his optimism on Thursday. "We want to be successful on Sunday, we want to be successful in 2017 in Lima," he said, referring to the IOC vote at the Session in Peru.

In the port city, at least 20 percent of the electorate must vote ‘Yes’, just under 260,000. If not, Hamburg’s Olympic bid is dead with the DOSB committed to withdrawing the application.In Kiel, proposed venue for sailing in Hamburg's bid, a simple majority of the 198,000 eligible votes is required.

Polling stations will close at 18:00 CET Sunday, with initial indications of the result due two hours later. The final result is scheduled to be announced at 22:00 local time.

Reported by Heinz Peter Kreuzer and Mark Bisson

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