Norway Knows Not to Host 2018 Olympics

Aftenpolten, Oct. 3, 2008

A new public opinion poll indicates that boosters of a Winter Olympics in the far northern city of Tromsø in 2018 have little support from their fellow Norwegians.

Norway is a country with a lot of sports enthusiasts, especially winter sports fans. And the small country has twice held successful Winter Games, both in Oslo and in Lillehammer.

A proposal to hold the 2018 Winter Olympics in Tromsø, however, has had only lukewarm support from the beginning. Now it seems a vast majority is turning thumbs-down to the idea.

Fully 66 percent of Norwegians questioned believe the state should turn down requests for a financial guarantee for the games, according to a new poll.

The poll, conducted by research firm Respons for newspaper Aftenposten, also showed that only 19 percent of those questioned thought the state should mount such a guarantee. The rest were undecided.

News came earlier this week that a Winter Games in Tromsø would likely cost NOK 28.6 billion (about USD 4.7 billion). After deducting expected revenues from ticket sales and sponsor income, the state would be left liable for around NOK 19 billion.

That was nearly twice as much as what boosters had predicted, and many officials already are saying a Tromsø Olympics would simply be too expensive.

Even residents of northern Norway, which stands to benefit from construction of new facilities and infrastructure, have lost enthusiasm for the project. Only 38 percent of those questioned support a state financial guarantee.

On Thursday came news as well that economic researchers don't think northern Norway will attract sustained increases in tourism from an Olympics. Opponents of an Olympics in the fragile Arctic area also have cited environmental concerns.

State athletic officials must now decide whether they want to continue an Olympic effort or withdraw Norway's application to host the Games.

Aftenposten English Web Desk
Nina Berglund/NTB