The Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia will soon be upon us. The games begin by the Black Sea in the Imeretin Valley February 7-23, 2014, and will be followed by the Para Olympic Games from March 7-16th, 2014. Some 3.5 million visitors are expected.
The Sochi Olympic Games, initially estimated at $12 billion, are more than four times over budget and now the most expensive in history. The Games seem to be in a continual swirl of controversy wherever they go, this time due to rampant corruption purportedly carried out by Vladimir Putin and his cronies. Remnants of Russia’s Czarist past are rife as heavy-handed oligarchs crackdown on demonstration and organized protests.
At any rate, hopefully, when the Olympics begins politicians and corruption will fade into the background and the world can enjoy the competition.
The Sochi Games will be held in Olympic Park with two main areas about 31 miles (50 km) apart:
1. Sochi Olympic Park (Coastal Cluster) by the Black Sea:
- Fisht Olympic Stadium – 40,000 seat capacity
- Bolshoy Ice Dome – ice hockey stadium with 12,000 seat capacity
- Shayba Arena – ice hockey stadium with 7,000 seat capacity
- Adler Arena Skating Center – speed skating center with 8,000 seat capacity
- Iceberg Skating Palace – designed to look like an iceberg. Figure skating and short track speed skating with 12,000 seat capacity
- Ice Cube Curling Center – curling with a 3000 seat capacity
- Main Olympic Village
- International broadcasting center and Maine press room
The following video from Olympstroy shows the venues in the “Coastal Cluster”:
2. Krasnaya Polyana (High Mountain Cluster)
- Laura Biathlon & Ski Complex – biathlon & cross country skiing
- Rosa Khutor Extreme Park – freestyle skiing and snowboarding
- Rosa Khuytor Alpine Resort – Alpine skiing
- Sliding Center Sanki – Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton
- RusSki Gorki Jumping Center – ski jumping and Nordic combined with a 2 km route around the arena.
- Rosa Khutor Plateau Olympic Village
Stay tuned for more updates on Sochi and Russia’s 2018 FIFA World Cup.
