2011 Asian Winter Games

Asiad infobox
Name = VII Asian Winter Games

Optional caption = Slogan: " "
Host city = Almaty, Kazahkstan
Nations participating = 45 (projected)
Athletes participating = 2500 (projected)
Events = 59 events in 12 sports
Opening ceremony = January 30, 2011
Closing ceremony = February 6, 2011
Officially opened by =
Athlete's Oath =
Judge's Oath =
Torch Lighter =
Stadium = Almaty Central Stadium

The 7th Asian Winter Games will be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2011. The documents for the hosting city were signed in Kuwait on January 5, 2006. [ [http://www.almaty.kz/page.php?page_id=673&lang=2 Almaty is a Rightful Host of 2011 Asian Winter Games] ]

The Government of Kazakhstan plans to allocate US$726 million in the 2008 budget for construction and renovation of the sports facilities for the games, including the Medeo skating rink and the Shymbulak skating area to the south east of the city. [ [http://en.government.kz/site/news/082007/16 Kazakh Government discusses prep works for the winter Asian Games of 2011] ] Timur Dosymbetov is the Director General of the 2011 Asian Games Executive Body.

The games are considered good experience in hosting for the city of Almaty, and will likely be a strong point in their planned bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Venues and financing

Almaty Mayor Imangali Tasmagambetov announced venues being built include a multipurpose Sports Palace which will seat up to 15,000 spectators, a ski jump complex, a biathlon stadium, and an athlete village.

Upgrades to existing venues include modernizing the Central Stadium, the B. Sholak Sports Palace, Medeo Skating Rink, and Shimbulak Ski Resort. The ski area will be increased five-fold from the current 5 km to 65 km. In 2008 a gondola lift from Medeo Skating Rink to Shymbulak Ski Resort will be completed. Medeo Skating rink, built in 1972, is an outdoor rink about a half-hour from Almaty. It is surrounded by the Tian Shan Mountains.

Kazakh Minister of Sports Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov notes the USD 726 million for construction and renovation comes from the 2008 state budget. The Olympic village, on the other hand, will be financed by private investors. Overall, Kazakhstan is spending over $1 billion to develop the area it in advance of the games. [http://www.registan.net/?p=6219 2014 Winter Olympics] ]

Infrastructure

Upgrades to the Almaty airport will be finished by December 2008; transport issues are also being reviewed. Millions of KZT are being earmarked for reconstruction and construction of main transport routes, overpasses, a ring road as well as investment in a light railway transport line between Talgar, Almaty, and Kaskelen. The plan also includes purchases of city passenger buses, taxis, and possibly the construction of an underground electric transport system.

Almaty will also upgrade its power supply network of substations and transmission lines. Expansion and reconstruction of heating systems is also recommended. A portion will also go into environmental stabilisation. [ [http://eng.gazeta.kz/art.asp?aid=71690 79.4 billion KZT required for Asian Winter Games in Almaty] ]

As of 2008, both Medeo and Shymbulak Ski Resort are being rebuilt in preparation for the Games. By 2015, Vladimir Smirnov, deputy head of the national ski federation, says the Shymbulak complex will play a key role in any prospective Olympic bid, and "by 2015 Shymbulak should become one of the world's ten largest ski resorts". [http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/winter_olympic_bids/1216133778.html Almaty Considers 2018 Winter Olympics bid] ]

Logo

Initial designs for the Games' logo represent a wheel of a nomadic cart.

ports Events

Participating NOCs

The tropical island country of Maldives is making preparations to make its first Winter Games debut in Almaty. [ [http://www.minivannews.com/news/news.php?id=2879 Maldives To Compete In Winter Games] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.almaty.kz/page.php?page_id=673&lang=2 The official site of ALMATY city :: Asiad-2011]
* [http://www.ocasia.org/7AWG.asp Seventh Asian Winter Games]