MILAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- France is confident it can deliver a high-quality Winter Olympics in 2030 despite tight preparation timelines and budget constraints, French Alps 2030 president Edgar Grospiron said here on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the closing ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Grospiron introduced progress on preparations for the 2030 Games, which would continue the spread-out model, with events spread across multiple regions.
"85 percent of the venues have already been secured, and only 15 percent remain to be finalized," Grospiron said, revealing snow events will be staged at several renowned ski resorts in the Alps, while ice events are planned to be held in the southern coastal city of Nice.
To minimize unnecessary construction and waste, the organizers are considering staging the speed skating competitions outside France, potentially in Turin, Italy, or Heerenveen, the Netherlands, both of which have established speed skating venues.
"The final decision is expected to be confirmed by the International Olympic Committee in June," added Grospiron.
"We will ensure that each cluster highlights its local cultural identity while drawing on the experience here at Milan-Cortina," he said. "Our goal is to provide athletes and spectators in every region with a high-quality Olympic experience."
The IOC officially awarded the 2030 Winter Games to the French Alps region in July 2024, leaving organizers with roughly five and a half years to prepare.
"The experience gained from Paris 2024 would offer valuable support for preparations," Grospiron said. "We know, obviously, that there is little time. Not just the time, the budget is also tight. But we know we can do it."
The French Alps Winter Olympics is scheduled to take place from February 1 to 17, 2030. It will mark the fourth time France hosts the Winter Games after 1924, 1968 and 1992.
