trailer world issue Two 2010

30 Issue Two 2010 company JugSK which is building the tunnel for the Russian railways (RZD). The RZD project is said to be the most important and expen- sive infrastructure project of the games. The route is costing €6.7bn. Up to today, there has been no indication of the precise costs in- volved in hosting the Olympics. But the Russian Regional Ministry meanwhile estimates that expenditure will reach around €25bn. With its position between the Black Sea and the Caucasian Mountains, Sochi offers an ideal combination, even in summer, of snowy mountains and subtropical sandy beaches with palm trees. But the climate is also a problem: in spite of the fact that Russia’s two leaders Putin and Medvedev come here to ski, Sochi is by no means a winter resort. Olympic Games at any price And so 2014 will see the most expensive Winter Olympics of all times: when Sochi submitted its application, apart from the moun- tains the city had practically none of what it needs to hold the games: no ice stadiums, no bob runs or competition-standard ski slopes. Even the traffic infrastructure and the tourism industry were any- thing other than Olympic in dimension. But Prime Minister Vladimir Putin views the Winter Olympics as a personal project. While still President, he managed to persuade the IOC that Russian would spare no expense to hold the best possible Games. And so for the last two years, old buildings have been bulldozed down and new ones constructed, often even against the wishes of the population. The residents of Lower Imereti Bay learnt at their personal cost what it means when Putin wants to hold the Olympic Games at any price. They were forced to move in spite of numer- ous protests. “The state used blackmail and intimidation to force people to leave their homes”, complains Alik Lej, one of the activists against repatriation. The old houses have now been replaced by the Olympic Village. Construction work is in progress all over the area and not just in the bay. At the mo- ment, Sochi is more like one giant construction site than a gentrified resort. Work to repair the main road has been going on for more than twelve months, so that the residents currently live in a permanent traffic jam. Only the hope that it will soon be better gives them the pa- tience to hold on. While the population struggles with the pit- falls of everyday construction work, the Olympics offer a unique chance for the economy. The project that is worth billions is acting like a stimulus package. Europeans also want to benefit from the large profits in Sochi. While state orders are nearly always only given to Russian firms, they in turn gladly turn to foreign sub-contractors for specialist support. European firms are also profiting from the building boom Nine multi-functional ice stadiums are under construction in the Olympic Village, while ski lifts and slopes are being prepared in the mountains. Skidata and Doppelmayr from Austria are right up there Sochi’s entire road and rail network is being upgraded. This also includes nearly 30 km of tunnels. »Once we get going, there’s no stopping us.« Photos:Ballin,Map:Heins

trailer world issue Two 2010

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