Annecy ’18 Bid Gets USD2m Support from Public Sector

March 8, 2011

The bid of French city Annecy to host the 2018 Winter Olympics has received a public sector funding boost from the Caisse des Depots after the financial institution, discount which acts on behalf of central and local governments in France, pledged US$2.09m in support, and also the French National Olympic and Sport Committee.

The Caisse des Depots will support Annecy 2018 financially and operationally through the final phase of the bid’s campaign, with the International Olympic Committee scheduled to decide on July 6 whether Annecy, PyeongChang in South Korea or Munich in Germany should stage the Games.

The deal represents a further funding boost for the bids CEO Charles Beigbeder, who was installed in January as a replacement to Edgar Grospiron who resigned following a dispute over a perceived lack of financial support for the event.

The financial institution’s CEO, Augustin de Romanet stated: “This partnership is an illustration of the Caisse des Depots’ drive to provide effective and sustainable support for ambitious projects. In addition to providing funding and additional staff, our support takes the shape of engineering know-how, especially in the area of protecting the local environment and its heritage through sustainable development, one of our group’s core strategies.”

French Sports Minister Chantal Jouanno added: “Annecy 2018 is a project for the future. The Caisse des Depots, tasked with serving the public interest and supporting sustainable development in our regions, is a natural partner for this bid. Its commitment has made a major contribution to the new dynamic driving the bid since January. Each time a major group joins forces with us, we send a strong signal to the International Olympic Committee.”