Summer Olympics in Berlin: A departure from gigantism

"IOC officials spend the night on the sofas of Berlin citizens, while the competitions are held not in the arenas but on the streets, giving the homeless free entry."

If you call an event "Olympics - think differently" and then invite creative artists, you cannot be surprised when suggestions like the one above are made. The host, Berlin's Culture Secretary Tim Renner, is positive though. Alongside the occasional absurdity, his guests also penned valuable ideas on how to convince the people of Berlin that an Olympic bid is a good thing. So far, the idea of hosting the event in nine years' time has been met with little interest. Now, with media reporting on the sometimes not-all-that-serious creative suggestions, their attention has been pricked.

Two billion needed for facilities

In an arts center in Kreuzberg, questions were asked that preyed on the minds of other Berlin citizens. What kind of costs would Berlin have to pay? Which facilities would be used? How much of Berlin would really be used by the IOC's dictated event?

No one in Berlin can answer the cost question at the moment - an exact amount isn't available. The Senate has stated however that Berlin wants to host a modest games with "no gigantism" - the message is that the heavily-in-debt city won't overstretch itself financially. The only figure that has been quoted is the 2 billion euros ($2.14 billion) that would have to be invested into facilities - and that too has been circulated with great care as those estimates have been made using today's prices. Construction isn't likely to start before 2018.

Half old, half new

Of the 30 required competition venues, 15 are already in place - most notably the Olympiastadion of course. And with the Europapark indoor swimming pool, the velodrome and the Max-Schmeling arena, three venues that were built for the failed 2000 Olympic bid also fit the 2024 bill.

15 new venues are planned, including those for demolition or continued use after the end of the games. The Olympic planners believe the current venues will also undergo redevelopment. The Olympic village is envisaged for the area where the inoperative Tegel airport currently is, and will be turned into affordable housing afterwards.

NOlympia: Money better in schools

"Money down the drain!" said NOlympia, one of the leading groups opposed to the hosting of the games. The list of opposition includes Berlin's Left Party, the Green Party and the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union - all of whom favor the funding of schools and other social facilities over an Olympics. They have loudly voiced their opposition to the games and are represented by the symbol of a Berlin bear, whose paws are shackled in Olympic rings. However, this image hasn't quite spread across the city as desired - although the same could be said for the bid's official logo. Only in the last few days have placards been seen in the city with the words: "We want the Games". The Olympic fever has yet to take hold.

The population is supposed to be closer than ever before to these games. The Olympics right in the heart of the city - not in an "Olympic quarter" - but really in an area where the people of Berlin will come and watch. Berlin's natural habitat should become a stage for when the world's young, sporting stars stop by, supporters of the bid argue.

Berlin is always good for a surprise

"If everyone can contribute, then the excitement will be similar to that at the 2006 World Cup," said Alexander Wolf, of Berlympics. The group is made up of individuals who are working towards bringing the games to Berlin. They've criticized the lack of public relations work done by the Senate and that the people have been kept in the dark about proceedings so far. As a result, the group has started a large photo campaign in which everyday Berliners strike Olympic poses. The photos, taken by renowned photographer Oliver Rath, can be seen across the city and online. Alexander Wolf is convinced that this campaign will have a successful end: "You can either win over or lose the people of Berlin in one day. They are always good for a surprise."

Shadows of the past

A more personal, reformed games? The people of Berlin can be excited about that becoming a reality. The Olympics fit the conditions of the city, not the other way around. It sounds like revolution against the all-powerful IOC, something that once again fits to Berlin. The city is determined to banish the shadows cast by its past. In 1936, the Nazis abused the Berlin Games for the use of propaganda. They invented the Olympic torch relay, built shoddy facilities and staged a grand competition. The 2024 Games are supposed to be quite the opposite: smaller, cheaper, and friendlier. The following idea from an artist in Kreuzberg fits that bill perfectly: "We'll put out the Olympic flame in the opening ceremony and replace it with Olympic water as a new symbol of the Games."