It’s the €87 million venue built to host ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. And now the mayor of Turin is hoping that the Pala Alpitour will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.
On Friday mayor Chiara Appendino revealed that she’d signed and submitted the city’s application to become Eurovision 2022 host city.
Writing on Facebook she sounded supremely confident as she explained why the city — known for its art nouveau cafes and tree-lined boulevards — had thrown its name into the mix.
“We’re running because our city has all the cards in order and we think it’s the best option on the field to make your choice,” she said. As you can read below, she understands the power of Eurovision as a programme, but also as a vehicle to raise the city’s profile and to top up its coffers.
“We’re talking about the world’s most followed non-sporting event.”
“With hundreds of millions of viewers, world visibility of our Turin and unquestionable economic uplift.
“With the extraordinary victory of the Måneskin at the last Eurovision, Italy is hosting the next edition.
“We’re running because our City has all the cards in order and we think it’s the best option on the field to make your choice.
“We have spaces with suitable capabilities, with the full city and region within easy reach.
“As for hospitality….[we’re] able to welcome the thousands of people the event will attract.
“But – among other things – there is another fundamental point that should lead to choosing Turin: we’re already a proven international stage [and] able to put the skills of an entire city at the service of Eurovision.
“Turin has recently become Ryanair hub, guaranteeing even more air links between Turin and the rest of the world.
“We are ready and determined. As always, we’ll try hard to bring Eurovision to Turin and leave this legacy to the citizens.”
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Turin submits Eurovision 2022 host city bid with Pala Alpitour
Turin, of course, gave the world the Fiat. That’s appropriate for a city that has made the world go vroom, vroom with some pretty big events, many of which are hosted at the Pala Alpitour (also known as the Palasport Olimpico or PalaIsozaki).
As the mayor pointed out, it has vast experience welcoming the world, as seen with Bellator 176, the men’s world volleyball championships and EuroCup basketball.
With a maximum capacity of 16,600, it routinely hosts large-scale concerts for Italian stars (Il Volo, Elisa, Marco Mengoni), but also their international counterparts (Madonna, Rihanna, Bob Dylan, 5 Seconds of Summer and, as you can see above, U2).
The venue will serve as host for the next five ATP Finals — the year-end championships for the men’s tennis tour.
As our friends at EuroFestival News in Italy report, there’s great political will to make Eurovision 2022 happen in Turin. Two distinct motions were supported by unanimous vote in the Piedmontese Regional Council to help make it happen.
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Do you like what you see? Does Torino have what it takes to host Eurovision 2022? Are you ready to dive into Piedmontese cuisine? Let us know what you’re thinking down below!
Turin will win, I am 90% sure. Over the past years when Italy was kind of favourite to win (Mahood, Il Volo ecc..) RAI, the National Broadcaster, in discussing which venue is most suitable to host ESC has always indicated Turin.
Anyway, candidate host cities should be: Turin, Pesaro, Bologna, Roma, Milano, Florence, Bari, San Remo.
Looks ready to host ESC 2022. Good luck Torino!
Italy won euro 2020 and Esc 2021. Sooo Portugal 2016 esc 2017.. Greece 2004 esc 2005. Just coincidence !!
Also, Turkey’s World Cup third place and Eurovision victory in a row.
I used to live in Turin for 6 years. It’s a beautiful city, I wish it will be Turin 2022.
Hope the UK wins one day and decides to host in Swindon.
Because every other city said no?
Unless a non English act wins, they’ll probably host in Manchester.
Outside of England would be nice, just to remind people that it’s the UK that won… not just England. It’s been in England seven times already, Scotland once. Wales never. Northern Ireland never.
As long as they have pizza and sambuca.
Italy you can show the contest the respect it deserves and host it in your largest and capital city, as well as the home city of Maneskin. Or you can do what Netherlands did and stick it in Milan your 2nd tier city if you aren’t too keen on the contest and don’t want to push the boat out. But sticking it somewhere random like Turin that no one has ever even heard of is just an insult. As for calling it Torino instead of Turin, it’s not cute when Ukraine does it with Kiev (Chykyn Kyiv for dinner anyone… Read more »
First, Turin is larger than many (if not most) ESC host cities in recent years;
Second, if you have never heard of Turin, then it looks more like your lack of knowledge in basic geography;
Third, it is my city and I call it whatever I want.
What an Unbelievably Stupid comment this is. Netherlands were very keen to host Eurovision and show the world there is more to the country than Amsterdam, a city that struggles with the volume of tourism it receives. Secondly I’m sure other cities in Italy are very keen to host is they meet the requirements why should they not have the chance. Finally who really cares where it is at the end of they day. The vast majority will be watching from our lounge rooms wherever we live. As long as a hood television show is produced then what more can… Read more »
Interesting, being the home city of Juventus, Turin is a city no one has ever even heard…..?
You’re right Shuma
Torino 2022 is for boys
Julia Augusta Taurinorum MXXII is for men
Lmao
First of all, Italy already showed respect to Eurovision not sending troll acts, like some countries do. Second, Rome is not a city suitable to host Eurovision. Third, you are insulting one of the most important cities in Italy, Turin was in the past the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. It is a great city with one of the most important Egyptian museum in the world.
If I were to name a city in Italy I wouldn’t say this one. It’s not the most famous Italian city. Possibly on the top 10 most famous cities in Italy.
But I can fully understand if people never heard about it. Italy is not really center of Europe.
If Italy does end up picking Turin lol
why did people downvote this it’s so funny
No, it’s not.
Not ever realising were talking about fourth largest city in Italy with almost 900 k people.
RAI also wants Torino (they admitted it by saying Torino would have hosted Eurovision 2018 if they had won in Kyiv).
Torino has the most suitable venue and also ticks the boxes for accommodation and transportation.
It’s just the old romantic in me that preferred Rome, i just feel Torino doesn’t represent the authentic Italian culture (that we’ve grown up and made those stereotypes about Italians haha).
Anyway, we all know it’s Torino…
Torino (not Turin) and Kyiv (not Kiev) in one comment. LMFAO
In different places people call different cities differently. It’s not wrong, it’s just isn’t the way you prefer.
I think the powers that be really want Turin to host. I can see why, it’s a stunning city, and my god has it got a good food scene, but often overlooked on the tourist trail in favour of Rome and Milan etc. Eurovision could be a good opportunity for them to promote it as a viable tourist destination and not just the airport you fly into when you want to go skiing.
My personal choice is Rome, but if it is Turin, I’m sure it will be a great Eurovision host city.
i think no one says that RAI won’t make a great Eurovision. Torino wants it a lot so they will cooperate with EBU and RAI in an efficient way. I am happy for them
off topic but Jamala and Salvador Sobral met in Ukraine on his concert and sang together
As much as I like Rome( who does’nt) it’s always fun to go away from capitals. See what else they offer, like turism in general. Besides everybody knows Rome and everybody has been there at least once, we want to see what rest of Italy has to offer.
not everyone has been to Rome and Torino is far from Rome for day trips. The north of Italy is not the authentic Italy we love (sun, history/culture, pizza) that the south offers. Anyway, those who have a big budget can tour Italy i guess.
If you havent been to Rome then too bad for you. Italy is Italy, everything is authentic. You have history and pizza in the north as well..
I haven’t ever been to Italy (unfortunately not yet), but I agree, I’d like to visit a lot of places far beyond Rome
Unless what you’re after is a stereotypical image of Italy you can get sun, history, culture and pizza in the North as well. I agree that the North is not as sunny as the South (Milan is famous for being foggy) but Eurovision is held in May so it should be sunny in Turin as well. And it’s true that Turin is not as old as Rome but it’s the first capital of the Italian kingdom and it’s famous for its beautiful architecture. Turin actually has the second biggest Egyptian museum in the world after the one in Cairo. As… Read more »
Please, the North has as much as the South (you can have sun and even snow, and I won’t mention anything about culture because it’s just stupid). Turin is probably the most underrated city in Italy and I hope they get the bid.
Note: I’m from Rome so you can’t say I’m biased. I even live close to Palalottomatica so it would be my interest to have it in Rome, but I still think Turin would be better.
It definitely won’t be Milano, and it likely won’t be Rome either – so Torino it is!
I wish Sicily or a Southern Italian city had an arena large enough to host Eurovision, I miss those summer-y Eurovision vibes we had in T*l Av*v.
To my understanding, the Italian government doesn’t invest enough in the south. It’s unfortunate, because I hear the south is very beautiful.
the Italian government has always given a lot of money to southern Italy from the post-war period to today, it is the local administrators of the south who are incompetent in managing them. You think they spent 1/3 of the funds they had available!
Why’d you censor out Tel Aviv? Don’t diss my favorite city outside my own!
I visited Sicily back in 2009 and I loved it. Would love to go back there, especially if it was for Eurovision. Imagine if they had a venue suitable for ESC <3
I agree, southern Italy is so underdeveloped and you can tell by noticing that they do not have any suitable venues (even Rome!).
In Turin the red carpet can held in the Po rivers is very beautiful, the eurofans village held in the Murazzi this is a zone with many bars and dicos, the Valentino park is good too for both
I hope it will be Turin because Milan will host the 2026 Winter Olympics.
So far Turin has been the most vocal in terms of willingness to host and even among the city council there has been unanimous convergence to the project among all political parties( which is some sort of miracle). Moreover they have started to work on their bid literally the same day italy won. I reckon in terms of commitment and determination Turin would be the best choice.
Turin looks like a gorgeous city. There are more than plenty of places around Italy that would make great host cities just for atmosphere alone (I mean, c’mon…it’s Italy), but this one especially looks ready for the job. That being said, Pesaro’s bid was better than I expected. Could they be the Maastricht to Turin’s Rotterdam?
(Rome, meanwhile, is decidedly the Amsterdam: too many things go on there for it to not be overcrowded, plus the one suitable venue isn’t actually that close to the part of town most people want to hang out in. I feel like this’ll be the third Eurovision in a row not hosted in a country’s capital).
Amsterdam is way smaller than Rome. Amsterdam had a suitable venue, Rome doesn;t.
now after this I am curious what Milan would bring venue-wise in their submission (if they at all dare to submit). I think it will be a great battle with Turin.
torino all the way
pov: you just learned that turin and torino are the same city
I feel incredibly stupid that I am also only just learning this.
i’m not referring to the name of the city
Honestly any city that chooses to host Eurovision next year I’ll be more than okay with, as so many of them have their special charm!
What’s the specific charm of Turin? Just curious…
Also Pesaro (near Rimini)
This is the one for me!!
Turin has everything it takes to be an excellent Eurovision host! I’m sure their previous hosting with events has made them more than capable to take an a event such as Eurovision!!
Please choose Turin!