Only days ago Ukraine‘s state broadcaster NTU launched the bidding process for the host city of Eurovision 2017. But now tabloids are reporting that Ukraine’s Minister for Culture has said the country has no suitable arenas to host Eurovision.
When interviewed on 5 Kanal, the Minister for Culture, Yevhen Nyshcuuk stated that: “We don’t have any suitable indoor arenas which can serve many people”.The EBU requires that the song contest be held in a covered venue that holds a minimum of 7000 people, preferably at least 10,000.
All the large arenas in the potential host cities have open roofs, making them unsuitable for Eurovision.
But the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv could not host the event even if a roof was built on the arena. The temporary roof would not be able to support the lighting rigs and other heavy production equipment that would need to be hung from the ceiling.
The city of Lviv — which wiwibloggs readers voted as their favoured host city — is looking at constructing a roof on Arena Lviv which would make it eligible to host Eurovision.
Call us Lviv fans, but it seems like a more practical choice. It is smaller (34,915 people) and would require less construction work to cover the roof than Kyiv’s Olympic Stadium (70,050 people).
When Ukraine previously hosted Eurovision in 2005, it was held in the Palace of Sports in Kiev, with a maximum capacity of 10,000. The National Palace of Arts, which hosted Junior Eurovision in 2013, has a capacity of less than 4000. For contrast, Stockholm’s Globe Arena has a concert capacity of 16,000.
But it seems that Kyiv still has its sights set on hosting Eurovision. The minister’s solution: do an Azerbaijan and build a brand new venue, specifically an indoor hall on the banks of the river Dnieper.
What do you think? Should Lviv build a roof on their Arena? Should Kyiv get busy and build a brand new venue? Or should Ukraine let another country host?
They could pull off a 4 week setup in palace of sports with a Eurovision held last weekend of May, which is a good fit for clashing TV events too.
A smaller hall can mean a simpler fit out, and things can be prefabricated. Far easier than building a roof on a stadium
OK, there are two suitable options – either Lviv and building a roof or Kyiv’s International Exhibition Center with similar production setting as Copenhagen 2014 (they don’t have stands so will need to rent that out). Nothing else not even comes close to what is required (if we do not take “Palace of Sports” into account but that hall is…really, really old). So, Kyiv or Lviv it is. And about the budget, it was already stated that many of the money required will come from private investors. Just remember the number of patriotic Ukrainian oligarchs and you’ll see from where… Read more »
@helloitsme, following your logic EBU should fix the rights to spend eurovision only in few countries, so it can be rich and shiny every year, paralelly mark another countries with grade B 🙂
Let Germany, France, Netherlands or Russia host it. I don’t want a cheap contest in Ukraine.
@Erik
Do you mean that stadium located in the middle of a war?
Hosting the contest in the east is out of the question I’m afraid.
Lviv is the only logical choice.
+fikri
NO!!! Let Ukrainians look for a way out of this situation. I am sure, they will find a way to solve a problem. And most likely it will be in Kyiv!
Mariupol could easily host. They have an indoor arena with 12.000 seats.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportkompleks_Illichivets#
http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/ukraine/mariupol_sportkompleks.shtml
LOL.
please let russia host.
#sergeyisourchampion
One more possible venue in Kyiv is an International Exhibition Centre, which is almost twice bigger than Wiener Stadthalle.
I doubt it’s possible to build a new arena considering they have less than 11 months left. And no need to spend huge money on that now. Better to use one of the existing venues somehow even if it’s small. I hope they’ll find a solution.
Kharkov Arena should host it!!!
we want L’viv
@ilsedewaylonNL
Agreed. It could be held anywhere as long as there’s space for the necessary areas, and is indoors. Just don’t go overboard like Copenhagen did.
The new Chernobyl arch would be great and suitable venue… Pripja? provides a lots of free rooms for visitors.. Isn’t that exciting eye-popping idea?! Special already effects included…
All these Snarky comments Clearly NTU can afford to host the contest otherwise they wouldn’t participate look at Luxembourg. They don’t participate because they wouldn’t be able to host. San Marino could easily get away with hosting it in Italy. Building a roof over Lviv is the most sensible option and would make the most sense. The EBU gives money to the host broadcaster to help them pay for the contest. And SVT has already said they would help. As for the Palace of sports, it is too small and dated. A Eurovision venue would look too small unless it… Read more »
Lol I hope Russians will disagree with it ! Who will want to spend money instead of Ukraine?
@maarikaa
No probs.
The opening ceremony starts with Jamala giving away the 2016 crystal microphone to Sergey and – wellcome to Russia!!!
Ready???
Lol let Russia host it then.
People commenting here have no idea about 1. the economic situation of Ukraine 2. The political situation of Ukraine. Ukraine’s budget deficit was projected at 3.7 percent of the GDP in 2016, whereas the costs related to the Eurovision can make it as high as 4.5-5 percent. In that case IMF won’t give any loan to Ukraine as one of the preconditions of crediting is budget deficit lower than 4 percent. No loan, no government spendings. This can lead to new revolution. Besides, security issues will make the competition the most expensive, taking into account neo-nazis and homophobes. Kiev spent… Read more »
In the long term a new arena is needed and it is better value over just puting a new roof over an arena just for the ESC.
If they used a shipyard for 2014 just use an airport hanger for 2017, there must be one big enough as the worlds largest airliner (AN255) was made in Ukraine.
Was going to suggest why not do it at the 2005 Palace of Sports venue but I guess someone below noted it’s hosting another event just a few weeks prior to the ESC dates.
Maybe it’s a sign to indeed construct something new, modern and that may help in future events occurring in Kiev.
Ilsedewaylon, they got no arena, not even a random one. So let’s select a random arena somewhere in Europe. Maybe San Marino, with Serhat as host. The interval could be him revealing some memes about himself. 😀 LOL
The conclusion that it will most likely be Lviv is quite ridiculous to me. Kiev has the Palace of Sports, smaller than the venue last year, but still well within the requirements. Why do a very, very expensive renovation of a football stadium in Lviv, when there is a venue up and ready in the capital of Ukraine. My conclusion would be: Lviv is out of the question, it will be Kiev or nothing for Ukraine.
Palace of Sports in Kiev had a capacity of 7000 people and it is very old and small. Not suitable for today’s standards and technology. It even looked poor in 2005.
Either build a roof in a stadium like Copenhagen and Dusselfdorf or just give the rights to Germany. Building a new arena would destroy the budget, Ukraine ain’t Azerbaijan.
I think it’ll be Lviv
I knew this was going to happen… Not to be rude, but can Ukraine even afford to host? I don’t want a cheap show (I found JESC 2013 quite cheap). Either let Lviv build a roof, get a reasonable budget (less money was spent in Stockholm 2016 than in Helsinki 2007 – I know, hard to believe), or let another country host.
Maybe those who wanted Ukraine to win, will now chip in in order for the contest to be held in this country?
Let Israel Host
Does Ukraine have the money to build a whole new venue? And, is it possible to have it ready within a year? I don’t think so.
Outdoor Eurovision?
I guess Lviv sounds like the most reasonable option then.
I think they should choose an arena they already have, even if it doesn’t support all of the special effects of modern ESC. That would give countries an incentive to focus on sending a great SONG.
just do what denmark did in 2014 and host eurovision in a random venue ????
You’re probably not familiar with the Japanese boy group known as EXILE (unlike me, I’ve been familiar with EXILE for over a year!!), but Kiev’s Olympic Stadium can definitely be suitable for EXILE’s first concert in Ukraine. Enough said! 🙂
If Kiev’s gonna build a new arena, then they better be quick about it!
Building a brand new arena would be kind of ridiculous. Just stage the whole thing in Lviv then.
Will Kiev build a brand new venue?! Is this an irony??? They have no money to pay pensions………
They could just finish the new kiev arena. it was going to be used for the Ukraine Euro 2015 but it was moved from Ukraine in 2014. The the building work did start but was stoped and as the arena is all designed all Kiev would need to do is start building the arena.
I don’t really want Ukraine to host it, I’d rather France or Spain or a so called “nice place” hosted it.
Let France or The Netherlands host! That would cost “a little” less.
Off-Topic: I heard Boris Johnson will NOT replace David Cameron as prime minister. This shows that no one really did think of the big negative consequenses with a Brexit until now. Not even Boris Johnson himself. If no one wants to replace Mr. Cameron, I think there is no other choice for UK than force themselves to remain in EU.
Roof on Lviv or let someone else. They’re knee deep in a war for goodness sake.
So… Germany then?
But the Olympic Stadium of Kiev also needs construct a roof for ESC!
Palace of Sports is booked for 2018 IIHF Hockey World Championship,will will begin on 22–28 April and EBU needs at least 5 weeks for construct the stage, so isn’t a viable option!
Why not use the arena from 2005?
Palace of Sports. Ukraine has many more things upon which to spend its hrynia than rooves for stadia.
Ukraine hosted Eurovision in 2005, not 2006! That’s what it says.
I think Lviv should build a roof and host the contest. 😀