Top Story Replay -- Smooth Arrival in Sochi, Rough Edges Remain

(ATR) For a frequent visitor to Sochi over the past eight years, there is remarkable progress to report with the open of the Olympics just three weeks away.

At the same time, rough edges remain and worries persist about how everything will work once everybody arrives for the Games in February.

My first indication of real progress toward the Olympics came as I stepped off my flight from Moscow into a jetway connecting the plane to the terminal. Until a few months ago disembarking from aircraft at the Adler airport meant boarding a bus for a short ride to baggage claim. The jetways have always been there, built with the new airport more than 10 years ago which was almost complete until the project went bankrupt. Now revived for the Olympics Adler is an element crucial to whether Sochi will become an international destination in the years ahead.

The baggage claim hall with three carousels seems small compared to what we’ve seen at previous Winter Games airports. As long as only one flight at a time is being served there is plenty of room; multiple flight arrivals could make things tight.

A team from Sochi 2014 commands a long table inside the arrivals hall to validate Olympic credentials. Everything went smoothly for me and I was on my way in a few minutes but I was among only four passengers on my flight who needed credentials activated. The situation could change when dozens arrive at the same time as will certainly be the case late this month and in the first week of February when the Games start.

Less than 30 minutes after exiting baggage claim, I’m at the security checkpoint for the Main Press Center/International Broadcast Center and the neighboring Tulip Inn hotel where I will stay during the games. As is customary at every Olympics, suitcases have to go through the x-ray machine and bags need to be open for further inspection of articles such as aerosol containers, cameras and laptops. The uniformed security officers carrying out the inspection are friendly and efficient but it does take about 10 minutes to clear the hurdle. I’m the only customer they have this Wednesday evening. I wish the supervisor good luck in the coming weeks – – he says they will need it.

Stepping outside into the plaza in front of the MPC, I am struck by two things. First,it’s the weather, the evening air cool but comfortable with a touch of humidity from the seaside just a few hundred meters away. It’s warmer here than in my hometown of Atlanta and 20°C warmer than Moscow, which was at -12° when the plane left for Sochi.

Second and most important: the Olympic Park that was a maze of dirt piles and unfinished work during my last visit a year ago shows no sign of disarray and is spectacularly clean. It bodes well for Sochi.

The Tulip Inn will be a convenient place to stay just 50 m across the street from the MPC/IBC. It’s shiny and new; I may be the first person stay in this particular room, which has a sweeping balcony overlooking the press center. But the hotel has only a handful of guests for its 324 rooms right now. Just as well because the Tulip Inn is not really ready for prime time.

Despite its newness (or perhaps as a result of it), not everything works. The telephone is not connected, meaning a call from my mobile to reach reception. Even with new plumbing, the shower won’t drain. The safe in the room won’t lock and we hear that milk could be in short supply because of security issues affecting delivery to the hotel.

Media who will fill this hotel may be disappointed by the offerings on the nine channels of TV. The only English language news comes from Russia Today and Germany’s Deutsche Welle, which will be split with German. BBC or CNN are not to be found. France 24 and Portugal’s RTP are the only other foreign language TV channels available.

Paying the bill at the Tulip Inn could be a bit problematic. For now, the hotel only accepts cash with reception staff expressing the hope that credit cards will be accepted once the Olympics begin next month.

At least this hotel is running. Two major hotel planned for the mountains will not open in time for the Games, a Hyatt and a Swissotel, and we hear there are others which won’t make the deadline. Failure to open likely means a scramble to find rooms for spectators counting on staying close to the action. And while there may not be enough rooms in the mountains, the snow needed Winter Olympics appears to be plentiful.

Written and reported in Sochi by Ed Hula.

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