Istanbul arenas building for the world

Building for the World: Istanbul Olympic Arena Infrastructure Analysis Jarvis Sam III April 15, 2013

Created for Global Urban Lab Rice University: School of Social Sciences & Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 1 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 2 Report .............................................................................................................................................. 3 The Issue ................................................................................................................................... 3 Research Methodology ............................................................................................................. 5 Establishing a Framework for Success ..................................................................................... 6 Delivery............................................................................................................................... 6 Experience........................................................................................................................... 7 Legacy ................................................................................................................................. 7 Findings from Initial Research.................................................................................................. 8 Arena Infrastruture Zones ................................................................................................... 8 Olympic City Zone ............................................................................................................. 8 Coastal Zone ....................................................................................................................... 9 Bosphorus Zone .................................................................................................................. 9 Forest Zone ....................................................................................................................... 10 Standalone Venues ............................................................................................................ 10 Conclusion and Implications................................................................................................... 11 What do the Results Mean ................................................................................................ 12 What do we Still Need to Know ....................................................................................... 12 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 13 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 14

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Executive Summary Preparing to submit a bid to the International Olympic Commission (IOC) is a formidable task for a city. A core aspect examined by the IOC is facility infrastructure. The IOC analyzes a city’s core competencies and ability to provide outstanding facilities for the sporting events.

Most recently, the city of Istanbul submitted their bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games, as one of the three finalists. Istanbul is a rich historical and cultural mosaic; and now the government and other officials actively work to ensure that the city bolsters its position as a sports capital.

Through a series of interviews and quantitative and qualitative comparative analysis, this report considers the question: How has and will Istanbul’s participation in the Olympic bid process impacted the development of Istanbul’s sports infrastructure, no matter the International Olympic Commission’s final decision of approval or denial? The city currently possesses and plans to construct a surfeit of arenas and facilities for professional sports and communal recreation. This emboldens development of the city’s already bourgeoning sports culture in preparation for IOC decision processes—development that will be of much benefit to the region.

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Report The Issue The Summer Olympic Games is a worldwide affair. It brings global attention to the host city, and is a time of intense competition and a celebration of patriotism and national pride. The modern Games, founded in 1896, and held in Athens, Greece, was a revolutionary event for its time, comprising both the innovation of a multi-sport competitive event and the expression of nationalism through athleticism. The International Olympic Commission, established just two years prior to the hosting of the first Olympic Games, today serves as the governing body of the Olympic Games, overseeing all logistical elements including host city selection, athletic standards of ethicality, along with an abundance of other tasks aimed at ensuring that the Games are successful.

With all its responsibilities, the selection of the host city remains the single most complex task for the IOC. The host selection process is an expansive and convoluted process that takes place in two stages over the period of two years. A host city typically is selected “seven years before the particular Games are scheduled to be held; the time buffer is intended to provide ample time for the chosen city to plan and prepare for the Olympics, which can be a daunting task given their enormity”—especially in terms of arena and sports infrastructure. 1 Host cities in the past have included some of the world’s most venerated cities, such as London, Atlanta, Sydney, and Beijing to name a few. Positively asserting to the International Olympic Commission, and by extension the international community, that a country has the resources, capacity, and infrastructure to host a Summer Olympic Games is a formidable task, requiring years of preparation and increased support form an abundance of governmental organizations and institutions.

The city that has caught the eye of the international community most recently is Istanbul, Turkey—a city that has been revered for decades as an international epicenter of culture, being the capital of three of the major world powers in the last 2,000 years. Bidding seriously for an Olympics by cities often spurs the development of sports structures, as they attempt to make their cities more “Olympic ready.” In this paper, I ask: How has and will Istanbul’s participation in the Olympic bid process impact the development of Istanbul’s sports infrastructure, despite the International Olympic Commission’s final decision of approval or denial?

After failing to win the Olympic bid four times in previous years, most recently a 2002 bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, Istanbul, Turkey has again returned to the main stage and is fully committed to hosting the 2020 Summer Games. Despite having a competitive edge in a surfeit of areas in comparison to Madrid, Spain and Tokyo, Japan, the Istanbul Olympic Commission and other officials remain cautiously optimistic. One reason for their caution is 1

"CHOICE OF THE HOST CITY The IOC Elects Host Cities following a Two-stage Process.

Cities Wishing to Stage the Games in Question Become 'Applicant Cities'; the IOC Executive Board Then Selects a Number of Applicants to Be Considered 'Candidate Cities'. from Which One Is Chosen by a Vote of the IOC Session." Host City. International Olympic Commission, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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arena infrastructure development as they focus on making a viable case to the International Olympic Commission for their current and future urban sports environment.

The official announcement came on August 11, 2011 by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

From that point, Istanbul has garnered support from the international community including leaders in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Egypt, among others.

Istanbul is a robust and resilient city that features an inspiring amalgamation of culture, history, and politics. Thus, Istanbul seems to be the prime city to host an Olympic Games. In terms of general accolades, İstanbul was the 2012 European Capital of Sport and has hosted hundreds of major international sporting events in the last decade alone. In an interview with municipal staff at the mayor’s office on February 28, 2013, the Global Urban Lab team from Rice University discovered that Istanbul is the world’s fifth most visited city, the fifth most popular tourist destination in the world and the seventh most popular in conventional tourism—being visited by 11.6 million international visitors annually – a 200% increase over the last decade. 2 Istanbul’s decision to enter as a candidate for the 2020 Olympic Games sparked a cacophonous response from the international community as countries the world over begin asking a series of questions about Turkey’s potential to host. These juxtaposed viewpoints only inspired the Istanbul Olympic Commission to develop their framework to ensure that their application was the strongest. Thus, they commenced work with the Istanbul municipal government, the International Olympic Commission, and delegates from various previous Olympic host advisory boards worldwide to outline their vision in hosting the Games. The Commission concluded that their vision was “to enable sport to bridge cultures, beliefs and traditions to inspire enduring harmony through the Olympic and Paralympic Games.” Istanbul 2020 would offer the unique opportunity for the “first ever secular Muslim democracy to host the Games and the first ever city to stage the event on two continents simultaneously.” 3 This staging however, involves a series of complex processes. The Turkish Olympic Commission has risen to the occasion, completing a comprehensive bid book specifically outlining the plan of action that they will take as they attempt to make a case to the IOC for hosting the Olympics. Although various aspects of resources, transportation, development, and even culture are all factors that are considered in the selection process for a host city, one of the most significant areas of analysis considered by the IOC is arena infrastructure. The specific venues and facilities that a country has available is key because this determines how successful the Olympic Games will be socially and financially as individuals come as tourists from around the world to support the Games.

Considering the aforementioned research question is significant for a variety of reasons from bolstered Turkish nationalism to the creation of an incredible international event, experienced worldwide. The Turkish Olympic Commission candidly posits, as the “first-ever Games host in the Muslim world, Istanbul 2020 will enhance world harmony and understanding 2

"Istanbul Olympics 2020 Meeting- Istanbul Municipality." Personal/Group interview. Global Urban Lab- Rice University. 28 Feb. 2013.

3 Butler, Daren. "Hürriyet Daily News | Haber Detay." HÃrriyet Daily News | Haber Detay.

Reuters, 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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by changing the perceptions of a generation, while delivering strong legacies for the Olympic and Paralympic Movements.” 4 Thus, Turkey’s potential to host the Olympics has a significant bearing on creating a radical departure from commonly accepted rhetoric about the Muslim world. Arena infrastructure only complicates this resolve, however. While Turkey has several large facilities available for sports like soccer and basketball, the development of infrastructure for more nontraditional sports like archery and rifle shooting imposes a potentially difficult burden upon Istanbul. The development of new arenas also has the potential to positively impact Istanbul’s very complex, and sometimes convoluted political, economic and social environments, which are all linked to urban sports in a plethora of ways. To fully understand the propensity for Istanbul to make a cogent and persuasive argument to the IOC in regards to their Olympic infrastructure, it is key to consider the research methodology used in this analysis, consider the findings that were discovered from this research, before finally investigating some conclusion and implications to what the International Olympic Commission on April 1, 2013 calls, a bid that could “lead to Istanbul hosting one of the greatest Olympic Games ever.” 5 Research Methodology I used qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the scope and context of Turkey’s decision to host the Olympic Games. These measures included the use of interviews, polls, analytical studies, and idea analysis.

As the first step of my research process, I considered background research on the cities of Atlanta (1998), London (2012), Sydney (2000), and Beijing (2008) to examine what are the key tenets of their proposals, specifically in terms of arena infrastructure development that made them successful to the International Olympic Commission and even more pointedly, how their urban sports environments changes in the years proceeding host the Games. This led me to delve deep into considering the spots facilities that are presently in Istanbul and available or potential use in hosting some of the Olympic Games.

One of the most beneficial elements of my research was the interview with the Istanbul Olympic Commission during the Global Urban Lab Spring Break trip to Turkey. Author Steinar Kvale argues in his 1996 text on interviews as research methods that the “qualitative research interview seeks to describe and the meanings of central themes in the life world of the subjects.

The main task in interviewing is to understand the meaning of what the interviewees say.” 6 Carter McNamara corroborates in his 1999 work on Interviews, citing that “Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant’s experiences. The interviewer can

4

Ibid.

Istanbul 2020 Will Halve Changeover Time for Paralympic Games - Official Website of the Chinese Olympic Committee." Istanbul 2020 Will Halve Changeover Time for Paralympic Games - Official Website of the Chinese Olympic Committee. International Olympic Commission, 1 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

6 Kvale, Steinar. Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1996.

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pursue in-depth information around the topic.” 7 While in Istanbul, the GUL team had the incredible opportunity to interview and engage members of government at the Mayor’s office, the Turkish Olympic Commission, including several formal national team athletes, individuals in academia that understand tourism and recreation and general citizens to get their view of the Olympic bid processed and gauge its success. I also read several news articles and journal articles on arena building and construction over the course of the last five years, that is since the country first issued its name as a potential 2020 host city.

The quantitative side analyzes the market as a whole as I delve into considering he total cost and revenue associated with arena construction and the potential for a return on investment by the Istanbul government. I will be looking specifically at finding numbers on how much funding was requested for the project. These numbers are available for analysis currently and are located in Istanbul’s initial 2010 bid proposal.

Establishing a Framework for Success A core area of importance highlighted in the planning processes for Beijing 2008 and London 2012 were the significance of having goals put into place to determine the functionality and feasibility of the event. This successfully places the importance of the Olympics into the social, political, economic, and historical context of the host city. The Istanbul Olympic Commission collectively picked three goals to strive toward achieving and to measure the success of their bid book overall: delivery, experience, and legacy.

Goal One: Delivery Initially, to the international community and the International Olympic Commission, Istanbul seems poised to host the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games because they have unmatched support from every level of government, from municipal to national. Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan, the Minister of Youth and Sports and the Mayor of İstanbul have “all identified the bid as a key strategic priority for the city and the country, and a key pillar of both the National Sports Plan and the country’s 2023 Master Plan – the ambitious development program culminating in the centenary of the Turkish Republic in 2023.” 8 One of the aspects that the Turkish Olympic Commission has frequently highlighted to international media is how the current Turkish Constitution features an entire section on the significance of sports. It is this provision that warranted their development of the National Sports Plan in 2010.

This enshrinement and codification of the legal right of all Turkish citizens to be able to access quality sports is directly aligned with the view of the Olympics in their 19th century Charter, which highlights the significance of sports in the lives of all citizens worldwide. In fact, in 1992, the Turkish government enacted Turkish Olympic; to the Turkish citizenry, this signaled “the start of our Games aspirations; İstanbul 2020 is a culmination of a journey that has spanned five bids and over 20 years.” 9 7

McNamara, Carter. "General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews." Journal of Communication. (1999): 17-22.

8 "Istanbul 2020 Fulfills Commitment In Application File." GamesBids.com -. Game Bids, 31 May 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

9 Gibson, Owen. "Istanbul, Madrid And Favorite Tokyo Set Off On The 2020 Olympics Race." Sports Business Daily. Sports Business Journal/ Guardian, 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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Given this clear governmental backing and legal authority granted to the Turkish Olympic Commission, they are fully committed to ensuring that every aspect of the Games is successful, especially the arena infrastructure—a core component now at the top of the national and municipal agenda for development and creation. The government plans to ensure that budget constraints are the least of the problems that the Commission will have to encounter and thus the fiscal coffers were opened. In November 2012, the “National Government announced the investment of an additional USD1.77 billion investment to build 415 new community sports facilities and 24 stadiums, of which 215 projects are already in progress.” 10 The Commission confidently calls this incredible budget expansion “realistic and empowering,” having the ability to “harness and direct the huge appetite for development and innovation in İstanbul.“ 11 Goal Two: Experience In terms of experience, the Commission is actively working within a Barnum-esque framework to make the 2020 Olympics the greatest show on Earth. The municipal government recently conducted a series of polls to determine if the social environment of Istanbul warranted participation in bid processes and their findings were astonishing. They found that three “Domestic polls have shown that over 93% of İstanbul’s population and 88% of the Turkish population support the idea of Turkey hosting the Olympic Games, and nearly 90% of İstanbul respondents and 87% nationwide believe that hosting the Games will positively affect the image of Turkey on the international stage.” The Mayor’s office corroborated those findings, noting that roughly half of Turkey’s population is under the age of 25. As a result, Turkey’s vibrant work force will continue to bolster the already thriving economic and social environment in the city. It is clear when any visitors go to large sporting events in the city that sport acts as a strong catalyst in inspiring national cohesion and ethos around a common desire, and the Olympics will only continue to perpetuate and embolden this viewpoint.

Goal Three: Legacy Finally, the concept of Legacy is almost exclusively focusing on bolstering the role and position that the Turkish people play in the success of the Games as spectators workers, and more. This rapid expansion is transforming Istanbul’s sports culture from a grassroots movement to elite status, as the government expands access to sports facilities for athletes and parks and recreational amenities for the general public. Overall, the final elements of their framework reveal that the Olympic Games will provide the “captivating shop window the country needs to continue attracting inward investment and sustain this exhilarating period of growth.” 12 Findings from Initial Research Arena Infrastructure Zones The Turkish Olympic Commission’s contention in their bid book sums up the key findings quite well, when they note, key Games “infrastructure will be delivered by existing organizations already implementing existing city plans. Istanbul 2020 has reinforced this 10

"Istanbul Sporting and Legacy Concepts Align with National Plan." Pan Stadia Arena Management. Pan Stadia, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

11 12

"Games Plan." Istanbul 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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capability by adopting the London 2012 Delivery Model, supplementing the strong base of local resources with leading international expertise.” The model will recreate the comprehensive assurance and risk management program successfully implemented by the 2012 London Olympic Games organizers, instilling further confidence and certainty. The İstanbul 2020 Games concept “strikes a careful balance between delivering a spectacular, innovative and technically excellent Games experience for all, capitalizing on the opportunity to accelerate existing welldeveloped City Master Plans and minimizing Games delivery risks.” 13 Thus, through my research, I found the Games Master Plan compiled by the Turkish Olympic Commission to define how their key arena infrastructure will be used and developed for the Games.

The Commission has designed a comprehensive plan for development that separates the Games into four key geographic zones: Olympic City, Coastal, Bosphorus, and Forest. These various zones feature roughly 32 venues that will be used to host the various days of competition for the 2020 Games. At present, not all of the sites and venues featured in the Master Plan are built, but the Commission plans to commence construction on the sites if awarded the 2020 bid.

The figure above shows a breakdown of the placement and location of the various areas in Istanbul.

Olympic City Zone The largest zone is the Olympic City Zone, which is geographically located in the city’s most populous area on the European side of the Istanbul. This zone features two clusters, the Olympic City Cluster and Esenler Cluster and 14 venues. The Olympic City Cluster comprises the İstanbul Olympic Park Precinct (11 venues – Atatürk Olympic Stadium, National Arena, Olympic Training Centre Halls 1-4, Olympic Tennis Centre, Olympic Hockey Centre, Olympic Aquatic Centre, Olympic Diving Stadium, Olympic Water Polo Stadium), as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Village, the Media Village, the IBC/MPC and the Technical Officials Village. 14 This Cluster was purposefully placed here in an attempt to display to viewers the picturesque beauty that is Istanbul through its historical architecture and the reflection of the various empires that once inhabited its lands. By contrast, the Esenler Cluster features three new venues (Olympic Basketball Centre, Esenler Golf Club and National Equestrian Centre) that deliver sporting legacy facilities for the proximate post-Games Olympic City population and the 13 14

"Games Plan." Istanbul 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"Games Plan: Venues." Istanbul 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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adjacent military academy. 15 These various venues would definitely be utilized effectively by Istanbul for the Games.

Coastal Zone The next zone is the Coastal Zone, which features two clusters (Atakoy and Old City) and seven different venues to be utilized for the Olympic Games. This area is often lauded as an epicenter of Turkish culture because this is the site where most of the traditionally tourist landmarks are located. Additionally, this area is incredibly scenic considering its location to the Marmara shoreline. The government in the last few years has sparked a restoration of this area by building a series of new parks, recreational facilities, and public spaces for engagement in various sports, Games, and recreational activities. The Old City Cluster incorporates three venues (Golden Gate Park, Golden Gate Marina and Golden Gate Arena), a live site and an elevated spectator plaza to enable optimal viewing for road events in this location. 16 In addition to the aforementioned construction projects that have been put into place, the municipal government plans to allocate approximately 250 acres of land to showcase the significance of this area by creating facilities and resources that are available for individuals that are touring the area to take a moment and engage Istanbul’s beauty through its infrastructure and architecture. A linear waterfront park links the Old City and Atakoy clusters. The Ataköy Precinct (three venues: Ataköy Dome, Ataköy Arena and Olympic Velodrome) and the Ataköy Marina in an attractive coastal area. Currently, Istanbul already uses the Atakoy Dome and Atakoy Arena for multiple sporting events and concerts each year; however, the Olympic Velodrome is not yet constructed.

Once it is built though, the Commission is confident hat it will serve as the final piece for completing the municipality's vision to make the precinct as a whole a sports dominated environment.

Bosphorus Zone The Bosphorus zone is comprised for two clusters (Port and Taksim) and eight venues.

This area is complex and unique in its own right because it will feature concurrent events on both the Asian and European sides of Turkey, primarily the water-based events in the Summer Olympics.

The Port Cluster comprises the Port Precinct (five venues – Bosphorus Stadium, Bosphorus Rowing Centre, Bosphorus Beach Volleyball Centre, National Volleyball Centre and Bosphorus Archery Park), the Kadıköy Stadium and the redeveloped Haydarpaşa Port, generating significant public space on the waterfront. 17 This area represents the most significant locale for the Turkish Olympic Commission because it is both a physical and metaphoric manifestation of the combining of two cultures—being he meting point between Europe and Asia. The centerpiece, “the Bosphorus Stadium, conceptually symbolizes the meeting point between the two continents.” 18 Two venues (Inonu Stadium and Congress Valley 15

Ibid. ibid.

17 ibid.

18 "Games Plan: Venues." Istanbul 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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Auditorium) make up the Taksim Cluster. This area and the stadiums within it will undergo several facial changes over the next few years as they prepare to hos the Olympics. The “existing open air amphitheater of the Congress Valley Auditorium will be enclosed with a new roof that will optimize its legacy usage and provide an ideal venue for the theatrical lighting required for the broadcast of Weightlifting competition.” 19 The Forest Zone The final zone that the commission has outlined is the Forest, featuring just one cluster and four venues. The Belgrad Forest is already currently undergoing a series of remediation, alterations and upgrades as apart of the comprehensive collaborative between the municipality and the Olympic Commission as they make Istanbul appealing to the IOC. This cluster comprises the Belgrad Forest Precinct (three venues – Belgrad Forest Cycle Park, Olympic Whitewater Stadium and the National Shooting Centre), as well as the Seyrantepe Stadium. 20 Istanbul does not currently have a thriving affinity in traditional outdoor forestry sports like rifle shooting and archery; however, the commission remains optimistic that the construction of these new venues to serve the Olympic Games, will undoubtedly leave a lasting outdoor activity legacy for the city. 21 Standalone Venues The Commission has also worked to outline four standalone venues that will serve as multi-purpose arenas for multiple Games during the Olympics. These venues include the: Ataşehir Arena located in Batı Ataşehir district on the Asian side is the proposed venue for Volleyball, and Regional Football competition will be conducted in the cities of Ankara, Antalya and Bursa (New Ankara Stadium, New Antalya Stadium and New Bursa Stadium). Turkey is a “leading football nation and the proposed football stadiums are world-class in all respects.”

The Star Gazette of May 24, 2012 featured a fascinating article on Istanbul’s potential to effectively host the 2020 Olympic Games; 22 the article highlighted the following list of venues that will be utilized for the Olympics and the respective sports that the Commission has assigned to them. The photo of Ataturk Olympic Stadium shows the venue’s relative size and capacity potentials.

• Atatürk Olympic Stadium - Athletics • Sinan Erdem Dome - Basketball • Ülker Sports Arena - Volleyball • Abdi İpekçi Arena - Handball • Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium - Football • Türk Telekom Arena - Football • BJK İnönü Stadium - Rugby • Atakoy Marina - Sailing • Atakoy Athletics Arena - Judo, Taekwando 19

Ibid.

Ibid.

21 Ibid.

22 "İstanbul Olimpiyatlara Nasıl Hazırlanıyor?" Stanbul Olimpiyatlara Nasıl Hazırlanıyor? Star Gazette, 24 May 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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• • • • • • • •

Harbiye Congress Oditorium - Weightlifting Old City Zone - Marathon, Race Walks, Cycling (Road) Belgrade Forest - Canoe Kayak (Slalom), Cycling (Mountain Bike/BMX), Golf Altınkapı Marina (Planned) - Triathlon Atakoy Velodrome (Planned)- Cycling (Track) İkitelli Olympic City Zone (Planned) - Boxing, Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Badminton, Hockey, Tennis, Aquatics Centre, Water Polo, Olympic Village, Media Village, International Broadcasting Centre Bosphorus Zone (Planned) - Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Archery, Beach Volley, Canoe Kayak (Sprint), Rowing, Swimming Marathon Esenler Sport Park (Planned) - National Equestrian Centre, National Shooting Area, Olympic Fencing Centre, Modern Pentathlon

Additionally, the Istanbul Olympic Commission made it clear in the Global Urban Lab interview and comprehensive meeting with them that some facilities and arenas will continue to be built even in the event that the city does not win the bid for 2020. This means that the urban sports environment in this booming metropolis will continue to grow and be diversified, offering them more revenue streams as the populous is given more options in sport to engage.

Historically, this has been incredibly beneficial for the city. During their bid to host the 2008 Games, which was eventually won by Beijing, the Istanbul municipal government authorized the building of the Istanbul Ataturk Olympic stadium in 1999. After they failed to receive the bid in 2001, stadium construction continued and the facilities and various reduces were used by the Turkish National teams and athletes that were training in their particular events. The Results have been incredible as well. At the 2004 Olympics, Turkey sent 60 athletes and won 11 medals (three Gold, four silver, four bronze); in 2008, 67 athletes went, receiving eight medals (one gold, four silver, three bronze); and in 2012, they sent 114 athletes, but only won five medals (two Gold, two silver, One Bronze). During the 2004 Games, the Turkey and its athletes respectively felt inspired to do well at the Games because of the amount of support surrounding their incredible efforts. However, over the course of the last eight years, there have been minimal marked improvements to the athletic facilities in Istanbul or enthusiasm in the nation’s athletes, until recently. Thus, the construction of new facilities plays an incredible role in inspiring the nation’s athletes to continue their active efforts in competing for their country.

Istanbul currently has seven major football stadiums, and nine more owned by private clubs, six basketball arenas, and three multi-sport complexes, and one Formula 1 track. These facilities are only a subset and man require renovations to continue to be efficient, but their presence serves to make a good claim for Istanbul to host.

Conclusion and Implications from Arena Infrastructure What do these results mean?

Sport has been and remains a crucial part of Istanbul’s vibrant culture for several years now. In defining their vision during a personal interview on February 27, 2013, the Turkish Olympic Commission affirms that Turkey will deliver a “timely and powerful catalyst to improve global understanding, inclusiveness and harmony; İstanbul, with a rich mosaic of diversity, layered history and acceptance woven into its very core, is ideally placed to play this 11 | P a g e

role.” The Turkish Olympic Commission is incredibly confident that Turkey is in its most prime position ever to realize the Olympic dream. This marks the first time that a clear balance exists between Turkey’s passionate desire to host and the capability and feasibility for it to actually happen Overall, a “world-class team of domestic and international experts are supported by a robust financial footing and a government that considers sport as the most powerful tool of development.” These results mean that Istanbul currently stands a great chance at winning the bid in September 2013 at the 125th Conference of the International Olympic Commission; However, even of they do not win, the city will undoubtedly experience rapid growth in its urban sports environment as diversification of available options become more commonplace. Thus, participation in Olympic bid processes spurs development because potential cities seek to enhance their own urban sports environments domestically, to look more appealing to the international community and the impact is in most cases very motive.

What we still need to know?

Some questions that remain unanswered include: What happens if certain facilities and resources go unused? What is the timeline for constructing facilities that will not be used after the Olympics? Although bond money is available now, how will additional funds be provided in the event of financial overages, which happens at every Olympic Games? Istanbul ahs the potential to host an incredible Olympic Games in 202 if they successfully manage to beat Tokyo and Madrid; However, whether they win or lose, their participation will reap positive results for their athletes and their urban sports environment as a whole as they become an epicenter for diversified sports, rivaling the United States and others.

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Acknowledgements The field of Sport Management is one that I remain passionate about. During my academic career at Rice University (2009-2013), I was granted the incredible opportunity to explore Sport Management from an academic and pragmatic perspective. It was my many experiences in this department that inspired by research topic and helped in the framing of my final research question.

However, the efforts in constructing this essay and developing my argument were in no way a solo excursion, but required the assistance of several individuals to ensure a successful completion.

Initially, to Dr. Michael Emerson, thank you for your endless support in my research project. From my initial proposal, you have always been there to lend a hand and offer guidance and support for me to improve upon my writing and the argument even more. To Dean Ipek Martinez, Turkey was an incredible experience and I am more than happy that I had the incredible opportunity to go to Istanbul. I have never had an international experience that was quite so informative and fun. The eclectic mix of culture, sport, and tradition that you helped create was truly inspiring and gave me all of the details that I needed to succeed. I would also like to thank Abbey Godley and Chris Keller for their continued support throughout this project and helping in guiding me and the other Global Urban Lab students throughout Turkey.

A special thank you to the Turkish Olympic Commission and the Mayor’s Office for providing specific details and data that helped to shape the content and context of my project. Finally, to my family, thanks for your constant efforts in continuing to build me up to ensure that I succeed not only in this project, but in all of my endeavors at Rice: Theresia Spearman, Meagan Sam-Bradford, Mesuron Spearman, thanks!

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Bibliography Butler, Daren. "HÃrriyet Daily News | Haber Detay." Hürriyet Daily News | Haber Detay.

Reuters, 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"CHOICE OF THE HOST CITY The IOC Elects Host Cities following a Two-stage Process.

Cities Wishing to Stage the Games in Question Become 'Applicant Cities'; the IOC Executive Board Then Selects a Number of Applicants to Be Considered 'Candidate Cities'. from Which One Is Chosen by a Vote of the IOC Session." Host City. International Olympic Commission, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"Games Plan." Istanbul 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"Games Plan: Venues." Istanbul 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Gibson, Owen. "Istanbul, Madrid And Favorite Tokyo Set Off On The 2020 Olympics Race." SportsBusiness Daily. Sports Business Journal/ Guardian, 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"Istanbul 2020 Fulfills Commitment In Application File." GamesBids.com -. Game Bids, 31 May 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"Istanbul 2020 Will Halve Changeover Time for Paralympic Games - Official Website of the Chinese Olympic Committee." Istanbul 2020 Will Halve Changeover Time for Paralympic Games - Official Website of the Chinese Olympic Committee. International Olympic Commission, 1 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"Istanbul Olympics 2020 Meeting." Personal interview. 28 Feb. 2013.

"Istanbul Sporting and Legacy Concepts Align with National Plan." PanStadia Arena Management. PanStadia, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Kvale, Steinar. Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1996. Print.

McNamara, Carter. "General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews." (1999): 17-22. "İstanbul Olimpiyatlara Nasıl Hazırlanıyor?" Stanbul Olimpiyatlara Nasıl Hazırlanıyor? Star Gazette, 24 May 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

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