Hamburg is Germany's Nominee for the 2024 Olympic Games

HAMBURG, Germany, March 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Today the General Assembly of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has voted in favour of Hamburg as the official German nominee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The north German city of Hamburg prevailed over Berlin and aims to present games with short distances, on the water and in the heart of Europe's second largest port.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150321/735848-a )
     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150321/735848-b )

Hamburg's First Mayor Olaf Scholz comments: "It would be excellent for Germany to host the Olympics for the first time since 1972.  Not only the German sports sector, but also Germany as a whole would greatly benefit from hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It would be a great honour for us to welcome the world to Hamburg."

The concept is sustainable and compact: An industrial-site in the port will be converted into the "Olympic City", including the Olympic Village and the Olympic Park. The new quarter is situated only one kilometre from the city centre and will be changed into an inner city residential area after the Olympics. The Olympic Hall will be transformed into a cruise terminal and the Olympic Stadium will be largely retained for subsequent use. Moreover, the Hamburg Olympics will be climate-neutral, as energy demand and transport policies will focus on CO2 neutrality. The majority of competition venues will be within easy reach within a radius of 10 kilometres, perfect for using bikes. For Hamburg, the Olympic Games are a prime urban development project for the future, connecting the city center with suburbs south of the river Elbe.

In 2024, Hamburg aims to host games that are close to the public. During the last weeks Hamburg's locals showcased their support and enthusiasm for the Olympics with more than 100 events held across the city. To support the decision, the DOSB conducted a representative survey in the applicant cities: 64 percent in Hamburg voted in favour of the games. The final decision will be taken by the citizens in autumn with a referendum on the official application.

Hamburg Marketing GmbH
Guido Neumann
Phone:+49-160-97298302
guido.neumann@marketing.hamburg.de