The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Bid Committee today submitted Phase 2 of its Candidature File to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – the second stage of the three part bid submission process that focuses on governance structure, legal and customs matters, support and venue funding.
In particular, Paris 2024’s file highlights how the French capital city has strong and broad political and public support and details the Games investment plan that is fully guaranteed and in line with Paris 2024’s legacy objective to place sport at the service of society and help local communities thrive.
Excellent Political And Public Support:
Paris 2024 underlines that the bid has the full, cross-party support from all three levels of government with no organised opposition to staging the Games. Locally, an assembly of 209 councillors also gave its unanimous support to Paris 2024 – the first unanimous vote in the assembly’s history. Furthermore, on a national level, all major party candidates for the Presidential election in May 2017 support the bid.
In addition, the latest independent public poll, conducted in September 2016, highlights that the bid continues to enjoy enthusiastic support from French people – with 74% in the Paris region and 77% across France in favour of hosting the Games.
Backing From Unions, Non-Profit, NGO And Private Sectors:
Paris’ bid has also been fully endorsed by France’s trade confederations that represent nearly all of the nation’s union workers. This new productive partnership has led to all parties agreeing to work together to create a charter that ensures long-lasting positive industrial relations and a smooth and effective Games-time operation – with strong legacies relating to economic development and long-term job creation.
Paris 2024 has developed further strategic partnerships that highlight the support of France’s non-profit and NGO sector, including receiving backing, for example, from WWF France. Paris’ partnership with WWF France will further engage the population with environmental matters and help convert the Olympic Village into a new ‘Eco City’ with 3,000 new affordable homes.
France’s private sector has also reaffirmed its firm backing for Paris 2024 that provides a strong indication of the future OCOG’s commercial success – with 15 world-class companies pledging support to the city’s candidature and eager to be committed partners to the Games through its seven-year journey.
Venue Financing With Certainty:
In its bid submission today, Paris 2024 presents a concept that is founded on the use of existing, proven venues in line with the principles of the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 strategy – meaning that 95% of Paris’ proposed competition venues are ready now to host events or will be temporary structures during Games-time. Therefore, the modest investment needed for construction and adaptation of Games venues is minimal, sustainable, fully budgeted and fits the long-term community needs with strong legacies for Paris and the wider region.
In terms of the proposed budget for Paris’ Olympic project, the bid today outlined further financial figures that underlined its appropriate and prudent approach. Paris 2024 confirmed that:
- The OCOG budget of €3.2 billion will be fully financed through a combination of revenues generated by ticketing, broadcasting, sponsorship and marketing, with the IOC additionally making a contribution – with no burden on the French public purse;
- Paris 2024’s infrastructure budget will be €3 billion and raised through an equal public-private partnership, which includes contributions of:
- €1 billion from the federal government;
- €145 million from the City of Paris;
- €145 million from the Paris regional government;
- €135 million from the region of Seine-Saint Denis (where the proposed Olympic Stadium, Stade de France, is located where and the new Olympic Village will be built);
- The remaining budget is already secured and guaranteed by various other public authorities and institutions
Unique Structure For Games Delivery:
Paris’ delivery structure for the Games comprises three integrated, purpose-driven bodies: the OCOG; the delivery authority; and – for the first time – an organisation, Legacy Paris 2024, dedicated specifically to public engagement, legacy planning and implementation.
The role of Legacy Paris 2024 reinforces the bid’s core focus on broad public engagement and social legacy. It will include promotion of sport for all, educational programmes and sports development, civic participation and volunteering, equal opportunities, social inclusion and environmental protection.
Bernard Lapasset, Co-Chairman of Paris 2024, said:
"Today’s submission represents an important milestone in our campaign. It highlights many strengths of our project, which underpin our vision to host Games that will deliver both passion and purpose.
"It gives us great confidence to know that the people of Paris and France are firmly behind the bid at this key stage of the campaign. We will aim to build further on this support, especially through our unique national engagement programme, which gives everyone the chance to contribute ideas for inclusion in our plans, and reflects our ambition to share Paris 2024 with as many people as possible."
Etienne Thobois, CEO of Paris 2024, said:
"The required investment emphasises the responsible and sustainable nature of our proposals, which are based on a highly compact Games plan with 95 per cent of venues existing or temporary.
"The financing of the Games will benefit from the strength and dynamism of France’s sponsorship market, which is already demonstrating its enthusiasm and commitment to the Paris 2024 bid.
"The planned infrastructure investment is fully aligned with existing growth plans and will deliver important new opportunities among the communities with the most to benefit from Paris 2024."
Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of France, said:
"The state strongly supports Paris 2024’s bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We in government are delighted to offer this endorsement because we believe Paris 2024’s Games concept is ambitious, sustainable, and that it promises to maximise public investment to benefit the regional development and quality of life of people here leading up to and beyond the Games in 2024."
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