The DOSB is first distributing a survey among citizens to determine whether the Olympics are a desired city venture. The DOSB has to put forward a final candidate by the end of February.

The DOSB does not want a repeat of the embarrassment in 2013 when citizens voted against a bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Munich. The consent of the citizens will play an important role in determining which city should be selected. A draft law in the German Senate will ensure that the state government agrees to accept the results of the citizen vote.

The DOSB obtained a preliminary vote on citizen’s views back in 2014. In Berlin, 48 percent of citizens were for the Olympics, in Hamburg 53 percent. These percentages however, are not enough. These feelings are adjacent to the growing skepticism about major projects and the fact that people still know too little about the plans and potential benefits for an Olympic host. With a series of events the Senate in the coming weeks will therefore try to provide better information on the subject.

In addition to posters, and videos there will also be unusual actions for advertising such as flash mobs. The project leader for the Olympics of the Senate Chancellery, Björn Böhning wants to spread the word that Berlin has no plans for gigantism. Instead he wants to assert that Berlin wants a "smaller, more modest, more democratic, sustainable Games" in line with the recent reforms of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The Berlin-based approach differs significantly from that of Hamburg. In Hamburg there are plans for a new district, including the Olympic Stadium to be built on a river island. In Berlin existing recreational facilities, which have already been many large-scale events will be used instead. New however, is the plan to establish an "Olympic campus" for the period of the games on the grounds of Tempelhof Airport. The area is designed for fans to watch the games on large screens and for it to also host festivals, concerts, and sporting activities for everyone.

"The concept is not set in stone," says Andreas Statzkowski State for Sport (CDU). The citizen’s forums will also be a way to gauge how citizens would like the Olympic games to be staged.

The cost of the games is a main factor of concern. Although the plan is to reuse existing facilities, security concerns will require many venues in Berlin to be renovated. The 2012 London Olympic Games demonstrated that security costs are the largest financial risk.

Those planning the Olympic games have put forward the idea of having certain events to take place at historical locations. For example, having the beach volley ball completion played at the Brandenburg Gate. The show jumping and dressage is planned against the backdrop of castles, Sanssouci in Potsdam and Charlottenburg, the open water swimming around the Museum Island.

Currently, Hamburg is still the favourite Germany city to host the 2024 Olympic games; mainly because Hamburg has the higher percentage of consent from the citizens. But that could happen in Berlin now soon!

• For more info: http://www.morgenpost.de/berlin/olympia-in-berlin/article136491832/Berlin-bekommt-die-Olympischen-Spiele-seiner-Wahl.html

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