The European Broadcasting Union has inspected Dnipro’s readiness for Eurovision 2017
The representatives of the European Broadcasting Union that holds the rights for the Eurovision Song Contest arrived to Dnipro, which is a potential host city, in the morning of July, 26. The delegation headed by Jon Ola Sand, together with the members of Ukraine’s organizing committee, have assessed condition of infrastructure in the city on the Dnipro, required for holding the main Song Contest in Europe. The Eurovision host city will be determined after inspection in all finalist cities.
The Mayor of Dnipro Borys Filatov has shown the local airport, with hourly capacity of 800 passengers, to the delegation. Management of the airport promises that with the city support it will be finally adjusted. From the airport, the delegation went to the Festival Pier, where one of the locations of the Eurovision Village is planned to be settled. Talking about guests’ accommodation, Borys Filatov said that during the period of the Contest they are planning to place two ships for 600 people in the waters of the Dnipro River: these are well-refurbished water crafts. It will be possible to accommodate guests not far from the city, and this will facilitate their access to the locations of the Contest. A road to hotels will be provided by the central bridge.
The representatives of the European Broadcasting Union and the organizing committee have visited the city hall of Dnipro, where they met with the Mayor’s team, ready to work day-and-night. The delegation has inspected the sports complex “Meteor”, which is planned to be equipped as DniproEuroArena. Area around the complex can be used for the press centre and the necessary locations of the Song Contest, said the Mayor. The representatives of the European Broadcasting Union went to “Meteor” by a new trolley-bus – the first example of a new electric transport, which according to the city government will appear on the streets of Dnipro.
At the entrance to the SC “Meteor” there is already an index sign that informs about food and fan zones and other locations of the Eurovision. Repair works are ongoing inside the complex. The delegation was explained that this complex is very functional: there are convenient accesses for large vehicles, and halls can be comfortably equipped as a press centre. “Meteor” Hall is the only stage in Ukraine that at the time has hosted the concerts of such grandees of rock music as Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Scorpions.
Summing up results of the inspection in a potential host city, Borys Filatov said: he will do his best to convince the colleagues to give the right to host the Contest to Dnipro, as it is an idea for its future development. “When we accompanied our colleagues after their inspection, I have heard a key phrase, in my opinion, that they have come to our city with inception visit, but as the result they have an impression that Kyiv has got a serious competitor,” said the Mayor.
According to Borys Filatov another positive argument for the representatives of the European Broadcasting Union and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is that Dnipro has got some available funds that may be invested in infrastructure. According to preliminary calculations, the cost of complex renovation of the future DniproEuroArena is about 500 million UAH. Totally the city is ready to spend up to 800 million UAH on preparations for the Eurovision.
