Sochi 2014 Olympics construction in full swing

PanARMENIAN.Net - With less than three and a half years left before the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi, the Olympic host venue, must work faster and harder, especially since nearly everything has to be built from scratch. A lot has already been done. The giant Olympic construction is in its most active stage now, Vladislav Sandursky of the Olympstroi Corporation said.

Each of the sports facilities that are currently being built in the Imereti Valley will be absolutely unique both technically and in terms of architectural design. For example, the Ice Palace that will house figure skating and speed skating competitions will resemble a triple toe loop jump. The most complicated stage – steel frame assembly – has already been completed with the palace’s metal skeleton weighing more 15,000 tons. Construction is progressing according to schedule and in some areas even ahead of schedule, says Vladislav Sandursky.

"We currently have about 48,000 construction workers and over 4,500 units of building machinery. Work is in full swing with about 140 facilities simultaneously under construction. We have been almost through the total design stage, and most of the projects have already passed technical expertise. On many sites, construction has entered the final stage."

The equal-to-none main Olympic stadium will be shaped as a snow-covered mountain peak. Its seating capacity can be doubled thanks to dismountable tribunes:

"All fundamental decisions have been made on all Olympic facilities, except the main stadium. What it will ultimately look like is still unclear. This will depend on the scenario of the opening and closing ceremonies – how the Olympic flame will be lit, and so on. The Organizing committee wants this to be something very special. Various options are being considered for the tribunes and the roof. While these and other details are being finalized, construction of the stadiums’ key elements is proceeding at full speed," the Voice of Russia quoted him as saying.