Tokyo 2020 Plans to Scale Down Venues

(ATR) Rising costs have the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee reviewing their venue plans.

Yoichi Masuzoe, Tokyo’s governor, alerted the city assembly of the review, and Tokyo 2020 says they have told the IOC of the plans.

Tokyo 2020 does not plan to alter the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium to be used for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the Olympics.The cost of the stadium has already been reduced from $3 billion to $1.7 billion.

"We must respond to concerns over rising facilities costs, including rising costs for labor and construction materials," Masuzoe said to the city council.

"We will review the plan as soon as possible from that point of view and revise what needs to be revised so that there will be no obstacles for the preparations for the games."

The Tokyo Olympic Board will meet Thursday to discuss the new plans.

Yoshiro Mori, head of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, said the bid must "seek ways to further enhance the quality of the games," while controlling costs in a statement.

"We [must] provide a sports-oriented legacy that will enrich the health and lifestyles of the people of Tokyo and the whole of Japan."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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