Agenda 2020 Transforms Existing, Excellent Almaty 2022 Concept, Saving over Half a Billion US Dollars

Following the highly successful IOC Evaluation Commission visit to Almaty earlier this month, the Almaty 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Bid Committee revised their existing, extraordinary Games Concept by optimizing several events and locations. The IOC Evaluation Commission’s visit to Almaty 2022 represented the first-ever to take place under the aegis of the new IOC Agenda 2020 reforms, and the impact was immediate and powerful.

Based on the flexibility and creativity made possible by Agenda 2020, Almaty 2022 has further refined its Games Concept to an even more efficient, more affordable one. The optimizations include:

Relocating all Alpine Skiing disciplines to an existing, ideal location - Almatau Mountain - for cost and long-term Legacy motives

Eliminating Shymbulak Resort and Tau Park Alpine from the Concept to better optimize Almaty’s long-term sports Legacy

Relocating Cross and Slopestyle events for Freestyle Ski and Snowboard, as well as Parallel Slalom and Giant Slalom for Snowboard & Freestyle to the existing Ak Bulak Resort to enhance long-term sustainability for these sports and this venue

Removing Snowboard & Freestyle events from Tau Park to better optimize our Legacy

Relocating Paralympic Ice Sledge Hockey from the Almaty Olympic Arena to the existing Baluan Sholak venue in the City Centre to increase the athlete’s experience and improve sustainability

Adjusting Medeu Athlete Village capacity from 1,000 beds to 350 beds

Eliminating the Kok Zhailau Media accommodation plan

Eliminating Medeu Mountain Media Sub Centre to better optimize our Legacy

Because of these optimizations, Almaty 2022 reduced its OCOG budget by more than $US 100 million dollars, and the Non-OCOG budget is now reduced by over $US 450 million dollars.

"These revisions, based on the Agenda 2020 reforms, allowed us to save over half a billion US dollars while at the same time making our Concept – already the most efficient and compact in over thirty years - even more convenient, more efficient and better tailored for the athletes’ experience at the 2022 Winter Games," said Almaty 2022 Vice Chairman Andrey Kryukov.

Almaty 2022 Co-Vice Chairman, four-time Olympian and Lillehammer 1994 Gold Medallist Vladimir Smirnov said, "Our bid is based on maximum use of real, existing venues. With the new optimizations, now nine of the thirteen needed venues, or almost seventy percent, already exist. This means reduced costs, minimal environmental impact on our beautiful mountains and a great long-term, sustainable legacy for winter sports in the Almaty region. It is a win-win for Almaty 2022 and the Olympic Movement because it is a tangible example of what Agenda 2020 means for the Movement long-term".

Kryukov added, "We have made every effort to create a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience for the world’s greatest athletes. Our Concept guarantees short distances to venues so athletes can focus on the most important competitions of their lives, instead of enduring long travel times." Kryukov also added. "Our Concept guarantees ample sports and recreation facilities in all three Villages to keep the athletes fit – and relaxed. And perhaps most importantly for the athletes, Almaty 2022 guarantees two additional weeks testing period for all venues for all NOCs prior to the Games. This ensures true fair play for all athletes preparing for Almaty 2022. It is another example of what we mean by Keeping it Real."

Almaty 2022 offers Real Change for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Almaty 2022’s vision promises Winter Games focused on delivering the most "easy to use" and efficient Games plan in 30 years – all venues are within a 30 km radius of the Olympic Village. Almaty 2022 promises a return to a responsible, sensible Games model by adapting the 2022 Winter Games to fit the city and its long-term needs.

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