On the Scene - Rome 2020 Bid Gains Momentum with Key Announcements

(ATR) Rome 2020 president Mario Pescante tells Around the Rings the bid achieved "three fantastic results" Thursday following productive meetings with the Prime Minister and parliamentary leaders, the publication of positive opinion polls and an economists' report.

"The opinion of the president of the Senate and president of the Chamber of Deputies [lower house of parliament] is extremely in favor. For us, that is very important because I would like the [entire] parliament to approve it," he told ATR after a press conference in Rome attended by more than 100 Italian journalists.

"I am an optimist today. The atmosphere at this moment is good," the IOC vice president added, saying he hoped for full parliamentary backing for the bid in the coming two weeks so that Prime Minister Mario Monti could sign off on government financial guarantees ahead of the IOC's Feb. 15 applicant file deadline.

"The Prime Minister is very, very prudent ... he wants to be pushed by the parliament."

Pescante was buoyed by the reaction of Monti and parliamentary chiefs to a presentation earlier Thursday on the results of national, regional and local polls and a Fortis report on the cost-benefits of the Olympic bid.

The poll revealed that 86 percent of citizens in the region of Lazio are in favor of Rome's candidature, while 77 percent of Romans and 74 percent of people at a national level are behind it.

The economic feasibility study estimated the public expenditure on venues and infrastructure for the Olympics at around $6 billion, including $2 billion to expand Rome's Fiumicino airport. It also attempted to quantify the impact on the Italian economy, stating that the Olympics would trigger a 1.4 percent increase in growth of domestic GDP in the period 2012-2025.

Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno told ATR that Thursday's announcements were a "crucial moment" for the bid. "I feel real emotion. It's been a very positive day. There is a very strong team and the municipality and state government work all together for the candidacy," he said.

"I am confident and with the support of all the parties in the parliament, the government will strongly support our candidacy."

Pope Benedict XVI heard about the Olympic bid for the first time on Thursday in a meeting with Alemanno at the Vatican. The mayor used the occasion of the traditional New Year greetings of Rome and Lazio authorities to the Pope to highlight some of the Rome 2020 bid benefits.

"Our bid will not be for a simple sport competition but is an offer of universal ideas and values. We will try to convince the other nations [IOC members] to converge around our proposal," he told the Pope.

At the press conference, honorary bid chairman Gianni Letta, a senior figure in the previous Silvio Berlusconi government and a strong link between the bid and the current government, suggested that staging the 2020 Games could be a rebirth of Italy following the economic crisis that has hit the country hard.

In his remarks to the press conference, Pescante said: "These Olympic Games can help to shake up our country to give it back confidence, trust and credibility.

"Our proposal was ... this is a time of sacrifices and a time of cuts but we presented our objectives [in meetings today] that is based on investment and growth. All of this was proven [in the economic study]. It shows the plan is viable," he added.

IOC member from Italy Franco Carraro told the press conference that included Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) leaders, city authorities and members of the media that winning the Olympic race next year could mark a turning point in Italy's economic revival.

"It is difficult but not an impossible mission and if it comes through will be a great opportunity for Italy's future," he said.

CONI president Giovanni Petrucci highlighted the "strong team" behind the bid, insisting it had already made "considerable strides". "I think we can really make it," he said.

Mayor Alemanno said the financial feasibility research had provided a major boost at this early stage in the six-city 2020 bidding race.

"There is no risk that this venture can be detrimental to Italy but is undoubtedly a great opportunity and can generate returns," he said.

"We truly feel we stand a great chance. We can make it if we stand united."

On Friday morning, a small delegation from Rome 2020 flies out to Innsbruck to have a presence at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games. Pescante, bid CEO Ernesto Albanese and international relations consultant Robert Fasulo are part of the group.

Feb. 9 is another milestone for the Italian bid; the logo launch will take place that day.

The other cities in the 2020 race are Baku, Doha, Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo.

Reported in Rome by Mark Bisson

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