Back to the original plan. Or rather the original date as the original plan was to have two finalists but instead we have three. First the chosen one was ment to be out today, after EBU had inspected the plans and venues, but no. This blogger thinks it's more due to the fact that none of the bids is strong enough rather than they are all so great it's hard to choose. Don't get me wrong, I totally back the Ukrainian hosting and believe they can host a wonderful event, but each bid seems to have something wrong or at least not quite there. If only we could take the best parts of each of them ...
UPDATE: Surprise! The date hasn't been confirmed. The decision could take still a week or two. That only indicates there are valid problems to be solved in all three bids. Infrastructure and security are among main issues to be solved. Plus arenas in ALL cities....
UPDATE: Surprise! The date hasn't been confirmed. The decision could take still a week or two. That only indicates there are valid problems to be solved in all three bids. Infrastructure and security are among main issues to be solved. Plus arenas in ALL cities....
Dnipro seems to have it all right for the venue and the rest; arena, press center and Euroclub all together. The venue needs a face lift though and the airport isn't exactly the best served one. There isn't enough hotel capacity. More importantly the city's image is a bit dull, grey and polluted industrial one, and even close to the war zone.... But they seem very determined and it has taken them this far.
Odessa sounds great and exotic; "Eurovision Odessa". I like the sound of that. Being a touristic resort is has all the infrastructure ready for all the other things but the venue. They're also offering full funding - probably the very reason they are still here! - so everything else is there and sounds perfect even the weather in May. It's about the time we have Eurovision one can also go to the beach! But the venues; all tents or open air. Could this be the time EBU tests if a Eurovision in tent will work and thus opening the doors for smaller nations and cities without huge arenas to be able to host it in case they win? The bid has five tent solutions for all the things Eurovision from dressing rooms to Euroclub.
That wouldn't be the first time: In Copenhagen the dressing rooms and delegation lounge etc were in tents. And yes, it rained in and with heavy winds you felt like they would fly away at any moment...... not forgetting that NOISE! In Stockholm the EuroClub and Euro Fan Cafe were in a kind of a tent, too..
And then we have Kiev. Boring old Kiev. Been there, done that (ESC 2005, JESC 2009, JESC 2013) It has it all ok, but ... nothing special really. The venue (and city) is already familiar, transport etc is ok. The arena needs a major face lift though, the press center is a too far.... And there's the Ice hockey issue to be solved.... A bid made ny left hand perhaps, too confident they have it in bag.
If only we could have the Dnipro's venues in Odessa with Kiev's infrastructure that would make an unbeatable bid!
Next Monday we will know if NTU and EBU go with the safe and dull Kiev or will they experiment with Odessa's money and tents, or will Dnipro's stubbornness to have it at any cost win in the end?
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