Euro-2012 News Online

27 hotel owners in Dnepropetrovsk region signed agreement with the UEFA agency of «TUI Travel Plc» on fans accommodation during Europe Football Championship final 2012.

As claimed Vadim Shebanov, chairman of Euro-2012 organization Agency in Dnepropetrovsk Regional and State Administration, owners of four hotels in Zaporozhye joined the agreement.  Mr. Shebanov underlines at present Dnepropetrovsk region’s provided with 9 five-star and four-star hotels and 3 three-star hotels which can accommodate UEFA reps, football teams and fans. Other hotels including some of those which will provide the needed amount of 5-star suites meeting UEFA requirements are undergoing construction work at the moment.

In total Dnepropetrovsk region is aiming to have 868 five-star, 1537 four-star and 654 three-star suites for the Championship to come. 

On Saturday, April 25th, in the central part of Kiev opposite the amphitheatre close to Nations Friendship Arch was opened Fan Territory TV stadium.

The screen 4 by 6 m wide was installed at two-meter base. During the month there’s going to be shown all the attracting sports events like Euro Cup final matches (Dinamo and Shakhter duel in UEFA Cup in particular), crunch matches of the Championship and Ukraine Cup, Formula-1 and Eurovision, as informs press-agency of Kiev Municipal and State Administration.

The entrance fee is free, while the fan zone is provided with proper security forces with food supplies proposed across the territory.

Why to pack into smoked-up and expensive bars again, when one has opportunity to support his team in the fresh air watching the wide screen game and feeling the energy of other fans? Well, fan zone is an indispensable part of sports life in the Western countries. For instance around 10 huge fan zones have been created in Vienna for the last year European Championship, where main fan zone stretched out for 1.2 km and had 9 wide screens. We’ve 3 years left for Euro-2012 and it’s high time to create such facility in here, for that makes significant part of football fest, which Ukraine is bound to organize, reports Anatoly Makhinya, Fans Territory project coordinator.

Breaks in live broadcasting of football, tennis, boxing, basketball and Formula-1 will be filled with the legendary football matches like Dinamo-Spartak, Ukraine-Russia, also author movies on Ukrainian football history. Music bands will also participate and souvenirs raffled off - like T-shirts and footballs with players’ signatures. We’ve set the goal to create first fan zone in Kiev and to make it attractive for the visitors where they could spend their time at a worthy level, underlines Anatoly Makhinya.

Fan Territory TV stadium will work non-stop from 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. or till a sport event ends.

Marat Yakupov, Deputy director of Euro-2012 Department for Odessa municipal council claimed at present Odessa’s actually ready to provide the needed number of hotel suites for accommodating guests and participants of Europe Football Championship final 2012.

As states Mr. Yakupov, for today 30 hotels in Odessa have already signed contracts with UEFA’s tour operator Tui Travel PLC on accommodating teams during Euro-2012.

Mr. Yakupov reported that during their visit to Odessa in March and April Tui Travel PLC professionals had talks with the manager of passenger terminal in Odessa trade port, who claimed that it’s possible to place up to 5 cruisers in Odessa sea port.

Construction of new objects which will provide 1426 five-star and 1663 four-star suites is planned in Odessa within the framework of Euro-2012 organization.

As to fans accommodation, the estimates show that 12.000 rooms will be needed in the city for Europe Championship. However today in Odessa and its region their number reaches 27.000.

In accordance with the UEFA requirements Odessa has to offer 1100 five-star, 1315 four-star and 210 three-star rooms in the hotels. At the moment Odessa can provide 1956 five-star, 1233 four-star and 4951 three-star hotels.

Earlier there was obtained information that Lvov’s decided on the hotels for accommodation UEFA mini headquarters and national teams players, who will live in the city during Euro-2012.

Architectural council in Kiev has approved of the Olimpiyskiy NSC reconstruction project. “All the owner’s requirements are carried out. The project’s approved taking in consideration every remark, in particular evacuation ways revision” - states Sergey Bronevitsky, deputy chairman of Senior Architecture and Urban Planning Agency in Kiev.

There was made decision to divide reconstruction projects of the stadium facility and nearby territory (within 1.5 km around the stadium).

According to the architect Yury Seryogin, whose bureau’s tailored the project meeting requirements and standards of Ukrainian legislation, stadium capacity will make 69.000 spectators.

Stadium area will cover 16.88 hectares instead of 36 hectares, previewed earlier.

Moreover, roof covering design’s been revised. Originally it was supposed to make stands and Italian patio glazing, while the project previews covering the stadium and the yard with synthetic semitransparent material allowing in 50 % of light.

The football field will be lifted by 15 cm, as the project lays it.

Total cost of Olimpiyskiy NSC reconstruction will reach 2.115 bln hryvnyas.

UEFA President Michel Platini claims that UEFA hasn’t obtained any documents confirming agreement signed between Ukraine and Poland on equal amount of host-cities for Europe Football Championship.

UEFA is an organizer of Euro-2012, so it’s up to the Executive Committee to select cities in Poland and Ukraine. If there’d been any agreement signed by Ukraine and Poland on city equality, it wasn’t registered in UEFA anyway, claims M. Platini.

At the moment there’s no basis for doubts that Europe Football Championship 2012 will be held in Ukraine and Poland. Even if both the countries have fewer host-cities than it was supposed, Championship organization will in any case influence positively development of the cities.

At the same time M. Platini stressed the importance of stadiums preparation in Warsaw and Kiev as abidance to preparation deadline will be crucial for hosting the Championship in Poland as well as Ukraine.

It seems to me Olimpiyskiy NSC is going to be erected by the set term, but if there’s no stadium in Ukraine, than Ukraine will see no Euro-2012, states M. Platini.

He added that Ukrainian Government guaranteed that Olimpiyskiy NSC is to be finished by 2011.

Moreover, UEFA President highlights that at present Olimpiyskiy is “more under destruction, than under construction”, as the old constructions have been dismantled and new are only going to be erected.

In his turn vice Prime Minister Ivan Vasyunik expressed his gratitude to Michel Platini for the support provided in protecting interests of Ukraine and advocating its candidacy for the host of Euro-2012.

At the same time I. Vasyunik underlined that Ukraine asks UEFA to hold to equality principles while selecting cities for hosting Europe Football Championship 2012 in Ukraine and Poland.