Rio Appeals to Atlanta for Olympic Advice

(ATR) Rio de Janeiro officials asked counterparts in Atlanta for help preparing for the 2016 Olympics.

According to a report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia governor Nathan Deal visited Rio along with around 30 politicians and businesspeople as part of a five-day trade delegation. It was there Rio officials discussed opportunities available ahead of the Games.

The report said that smaller construction contracts could be open to U.S.-based firms soon.

"There’s a lot of pressure on the government to complete the infrastructure in time," Michael Yoder, the acting U.S. consul in Rio, said to Georgian officials.

"Any encouragement you can offer them about your own experience with the Olympics would be great."

Atlanta was the host of the 1996 Olympics and is a sister city of Rio de Janeiro. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed visited the city in April 2014 as part of a trade mission.

"There’s a saying here: Brazil is not for beginners," Mark Russell of the U.S. Commercial Service in Brazil said to the mission.

"You have to have knowledge on the ground here. The bureaucracy, the tax structure, the distribution systems are all very different.

"You really need a local partner to do business."

Construction for the Rio 2016 venues has seen delays, which have not been helped by recent construction strikes in the city.

Recently, Rio 2016 moved preliminary matches for water polo to the swimming venue in the Olympic Park due to delays at the Julio Delamare aquatic park next to the Maracana Stadium.

Written byAaron Bauer

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