No final decision yet on 2004 overlay costs
The government and Athens 2004, the Olympic Games organizers, failed to resolve their differences over who is going to pay the cost of overlays in Olympic venues at yesterday’s meeting of the interministerial committee overseeing preparations for the Games. «Overlays» refer to the modification of sports venues to fit Olympic Games requirements, such as the installation and supply of fixtures and remodeling. Athens 2004 insists it will not pay a cent over the 130 million euros it had initially budgeted to spend on overlays and has called on the State to pick up the tab for extra costs, due, Athens 2004 believes, to construction delays. On its part, the government wants part of the cost of overlays – such as the installation of brand-new scoreboards – to be done through Olympic sponsors, who will donate the necessary equipment. Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said that 29 of the 36 overlays studies had been completed and that a final decision on how the costs will be shared must await the other studies.
