(ATR) Three more Tokyo 2020 Olympic Venues may leave the city in a cost-cutting effort.
According to Japanese media, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has commissioned a report looking into savings of moving Olympic venues outside Tokyo. The report is expected to be released on Sep. 30.
The TMG recently underwent a leadership change, when Yuriko Koike was elected Governor at the end of July. Once taking office, Koike pledged to review the Olympic project to work to cut costs.
The venues for rowing and canoe sprint, swimming, and volleyball could be moved as far as 240 miles from Tokyo according to local media reports. So far, Tokyo 2020 moved the Olympic cycling venue to Izu, 125 miles west of Tokyo, and the basketball venue to Saitama, 12 miles outside of the city. All proposed changes would have to be approved by the International Olympic Committee before implementation.
Tokyo 2020’s original bid plan stated that most venues would be concentrated within 5 miles of the Olympic Village.
The day the report is to be released, Tokyo 2020 will host an Executive Board meeting. Requests for clarification if the report would be discussed were not returned.
Earlier this month, Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto told Around the Rings that the organizing committee and the TMG were working on "version one," of a budget for Olympic venues. Muto said that so far over $2 billion has been saved from venues during a review process. Included in the review was a total redesign for the new Tokyo national stadium, which saw rising costs before construction began.
"Further reduction of the budget for the TMG is something we encourage but is something that needs to be done by the governor of Tokyo," Muto said. "Tokyo 2020 has been working to save costs as much as possible. With regards to the budget relating to venues, the final decision has not been made on what would be included in our scope."
Written by Aaron Bauer
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