Eurovision fans annoyed that they may have to return to Malmö for the second time in three years can breathe a bit easier this morning. Swedish business web site 8 till 5 reports that Malmö has withdrawn its bid to become Eurovision 2016 host city.

That’s because the city of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Scandinavia’s tallest skyscraper has too much going on in April and May. It simply can’t free up its venue for the six-week period that SVT would require to get Malmö Arena ready for the Eurovision Song Contest.

“It’s one thing to want it and another thing to be able to do it,” Karin Mårtensson, managing director of Malmö Arena, told 8 till 5. “Just like everyone else we love Eurovision, but we must also live up to our pre-existing agreements to be a serious partner to our organizers…Had we not had the booking situation we have, we would have sprung into action.”

Among the existing committments are Malmö Redhawks ice hockey matches, two international concerts, two major congresses and the horse show Apassionata.

The horse show seems to be a recurring nuissance for Eurovision organisers. As you’ll recall last year, Apassionata was one of the events that had to be cancelled to free up Wiener Stadthalle for Eurovision 2015. Billed as “Europe’s most successful equestrian entertainment show,” Apassionata explores the “magical connection between people and horses.” The horses dance to classical music. They wear fancy costumes. And they do all of this in front of tens of thousands of people. (Can we please keep one for Eurovision?!)

Johan Hermansson, tourism director of the City of Malmö, joked that the city could still host: “If they’re willing to move Eurovision for next autumn we can do it.”

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ESCaddict
ESCaddict
8 years ago

I loved your blog, William. Your description of the horse show had me laughing out loud.
If we can’t have horses on the ESC stage maybe we could have an interval act of some people in horse costumes dancing to classical music. A tribute to the event that so often clashes with ESC. Ha ha ha.

Milla
Milla
8 years ago

Friends Arena have already said no. I think it will be Scandinavium or Tele2 Arena.

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ David.. Oh….No problem mate.. 🙂 And i knew it…Right.. And i was surprised to see that comment it was written by a nice contributor like you…So i was wondering more why you wrote that.. 4 me when i saw it i just thought inside me : like wtf was that about..? But its ok now that you told me that it was that troll clone of mine that posted that.. Well if you really notice,his comments are really nonsense & do not make sense…He really does awful job of being me…And nobody buys it at least from the users… Read more »

David Thielen
8 years ago

@Mario – there was an off-topic comment by you before mine. It looks like it was deleted. And with it deleted, my comment then made no sense.

Anyways, in general my comment is because most of your comments are completely off-topic.

Deven O'Kearney
Deven O'Kearney
8 years ago

I think it’s good that Malmö won’t be hosting next year. It’s good to move around and alternate between cities.

It will be mad to have Sandviken/Gävle or Linköping host Eurovision. 😛 😛 😛

But I think that Stockholm or Göteborg will be hosting Eurovision 2016.

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

Yes i read about that too…But they might changed mind and thought that it would be way too early for them to withdraw from their bid…And now it must be really official that Malmo is out of the race to host next year’s Vision..

So farewell & good bye to Malmo…
Thank you 4 all the GreAtY memories that it offered us all back in 2013… <3

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ Oh thank you Zack..

Well i had to post a comment to WiWiBloggs from yesterday..
And i came online today to actually see David surprisingly refering to my name…And i was just really surprised for that…Like he did that out of the blue & without me having written anything yet so it was like he truly saw me and did it after me..

I just do not really want to think about that & will move on…Its not worth it for me to get upset over this..

Zack
Zack
8 years ago

I live to read Mario’s comments!
But to stay on topic for David’s sake, Malmo never had a chance. Although I did enjoy the atmosphere of the arena in 2013.

George
George
8 years ago

I don’t think that SVT would select it anyway…
I think that Gothenburg will host the 2016 edition…but I want Stockholm with Tele2Arena or Friends Arena!!

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ And well you never know about that David..
Maybe yes today will be that big day and i’m really gonna do this.. 🙂
Maybe i finally saw the light.. 🙂

I didn’t really mind that you wrote that but i was just only surprised to see you referring to me with criticizing me over this…No hard feelings or anything of course..

Darren
Darren
8 years ago

Still hoping Stockholm hosts, its only logical 🙂 Any of the 3 arenas in Stockholm will do, as long as it is the Capital.
BTW, didnt Malmo not withdraw anyway the day after Mans won? 🙂

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ Emm…Excuse me but say what..? With no offense but i didn’t get you really here David.. I just didn’t expect for you really to refer to my name out of the blue.. I just wonder what you really mean with that skeptic of yours about me.. Are you really sure that you didn’t might confuse me with that troll clone of mine..? 😛 🙂 And by the way, I think that more than gazzilions of my comments actually are spot on & truly on topic.. And i know that William (especially him) appreciates my comments & agrees with my… Read more »

Mario I Am Summer ~ My Summer Vision of Gay Love Summer Lovers
Mario I Am Summer ~ My Summer Vision of Gay Love Summer Lovers
8 years ago

Well i really couldn’t expect Malmo to host the 61st EuroVision next year…It would be too much 4 the Vision to get hosted in the same arena after only just 3 years.. Sweden has multiple different arenas that would be capable of hosting the Vision so its not a problem 4 the Swedes to host the music contest in a different venue.. Well i guess that Malmo’s Arena is eligible & can be chosen 4 one more time to be one of the venues that will host the Melodifestivalen 2016 with having either one of the 4 SFs- the andra… Read more »

David Thielen
8 years ago

Someday Mario will make on on-topic comment.

Unfortunately, today is not that day…

Hippo
Hippo
8 years ago

I don’t think they had a realistic chance anyway. My money is on Gothenburg to host it.