CANDIDACY

FILE
1

Prepared by the Almaty Olympic Committee:

Alimov, Aziz; Kim, Eric; Tong, Jacob; Wang, Cynthia; Wang, Tenia

Contents

Emergency Response...............................................................
VISION CONCEPT AND LEGACY..........................................................................................

Doping Control.........................................................................
SPORTS & VENUES.........................................................................................................
Further Development Thru 2022..............................................
New Venues......................................................................................................................................
SAFETY AND SECURITY.....................................................
Medeu Cluster..................................................................................................................................

TECHNOLOGY & ENERGY...................................................

Ak Bulak Cluster.............................................................................................................................

Almaty Cluster................................................................................................................................
CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION FORMALITIES...............................

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE &

GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC SUPPORT.......................................
METEOROLOGY...........................................................................................................
Government Support................................................................
ACCOMMODATION........................................................................................................
Public Support..........................................................................
Athletes, Coaches & International
Opposition................................................................................
Delegates.......................................................................................................................................
Marketing & Cost-Benefit Analysis.......................................
Adventure To Kazakhstan...............................................................................................................
Joint Marketing Programme Agreement....................................
Transport Infrastructure..................................................................................................................

Ticketing..................................................................................
Public Transportation......................................................................................................................
Licensed Merchandise..............................................................
MEDICAL SERVICES & DOPING CONTROL...........................................................................
Total Expenditure.....................................................................
State-Of-The-Art Medical Services...................................................................................................


,
,

LEAD,
TAKE
ACTION,
INSPIRE

Vision Concept and Legacy

, , (Lead, Take Action, Inspire): This is not
only the slogan for the potential 2022 Almaty Winter Olympics, but also the
ideology of the nation of Kazakhstan. As a country with a rich history of more than
600 years, the Land of the Great Steppe has endured many hardships, including
fierce power struggles and natural disasters. However, Kazakhstan has overcome all
these obstacles to become one of the most prosperous nations in Central Asia. With
an HDI ranking of 0.788, it ranks 56th in the world in terms of human development,
which is well ahead of such countries as Brazil and China that have recently been
hosts to the Olympic Games.
The 2022 Winter Olympic Games will become a key component in the Kazakhstan
2050, a national plan to boost social, environmental, and economic development.
Hosting the Winter Olympics will not only broadcast to the world the lovely tourist
destinations of this great nation, but also provide the diverse Kazakh citizens with
world-class facilities to better their health.
Kazakhstans concept for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games is to take full advantage
of many of the pre-existing world-class venues in Almaty. Having been the host of
many successful, international winter sports competitions, such as the 2011 Asian
Winter Games and the 2017 Winter Universiade, Kazakhstan is well-experienced
and well-equipped to not only handle, but excel in hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic
Games. Kazakhstan aspires to lead the world in hosting an Olympic Games that
serves as a blueprint for affordable, economically and environmentally sustainable
Games in the future.
The spirit of the Olympic Games is to convey to the world a message of
international peace and inclusiveness. Kazakhstan fully wishes to embody this spirit
by taking action to be the home of the first Central Asian Olympic Games. In doing
this, Kazakhstan hopes to inspire and pave the way for other lesser known countries
to do the same.

Sports & Venues

Table 1.1: Venue Locations and Details

Sport
Alpine Skiing

Biathlon

Bobsleigh

Cross Country
Skiing
Curling
Figure Skating
Freestyle Skiing

Ice Hockey

Region
Mountain Medeu Cluster

Mountain - Ak
Bulak Cluster

Venue
-Shymbulak Resort
(Downhill, Super G, Super
Combined)
-Tabagan Ski Resort
(Slalom, Giant Slalom)
Ak Bulak Nordic Arena

City - Medeu
Cluster

New Venue (Medeu)*

Mountain - Ak
Bulak Cluster

Ak Bulak Nordic Arena

City - Almaty
Cluster
City - Almaty
Cluster
Mountain Medeu Cluster

New Venue (Almaty)*

City - Almaty
Cluster

-Almaty Ice Palace**

New Venue (Almaty)*

Tabagan Alpine Resort**

Capacity
- 10 000
(6 000 seated, 4
000 standing)
-12 000
(6 000 seated, 6
000 standing)
16 000
(6 200 seated, 9
800 standing)
11 000
(1 000 seated,
10 000
standing)
16 000
(6 200 seated, 9
800 standing)
3 000
(all seated)
12 000
(all seated)
12 000
(6 000 seated,
6 000 standing)
-12 000 (all
seated)

-Halyk Arena**

Luge

Nordic
Combined

Short Track
Speed Skating
Skeleton

City - Medeu
Cluster

New Venue (Medeu)*

Mountain Medeu Cluster

Sunkar International Ski

Jumping Complexes

City - Almaty
Cluster
City - Medeu

New Venue (Almaty)*

New Venue (Medeu)*

-3 000 (all
seated)
11 000
(1 000 seated,
10 000
standing)
13 000
(3 000 seated,
10 000
standing)
12 000
(all seated)
11 000

Cluster

Ski Jumping

Mountain Medeu Cluster

Sunkar International Ski

Jumping Complexes

Snowboard

Mountain Medeu Cluster

Tabagan Alpine Resort**

Speed Skating

Mountain Medeu Cluster

City - Almaty
Cluster

Medeu Alpine Ice Arena

Opening/
Closing
Ceremonies

Almaty Central Stadium

(1 000 seated,
10 000
standing)
13 000
(3 000 seated,
10 000
standing)
12 000
(6 000 seated,
6 000 standing)
25 000
(all seated)
23 804
(all seated

Table 1.1 shows the all the venues included in Almatys bid for the 2022 Winter
Olympics. There are 12 proposed sports venues, 2 media centers, and 1 venue for
the opening and closing ceremonies making up a grand total of 15 venues. As
Almaty has hosted numerous international winter sports events in the past, most of
the venues needed for the 2022 Winter Olympics already exist. Venue names
marked with single asterisks (*) are ones that do not yet exist and will be built
should the Almaty Olympic bid be accepted, while doubles asterisks (**) indicate
venues that will have been built for the 2017 Winter Universiade that will be used
for the Olympics as well. All venues are located or will be built in one of three
clusters in the Almaty area to ensure easy access to athletes and tourists alike.

NEW VENUES
Figure 1.1: Concept for new venue (Zailiyskiy Alatau): Luging, Bobsleigh, and Skeleton

A new sliding centre will be

built in the Medeu District of
the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountain
range, roughly
15km away from Almaty. Because of the mountains proximity to the city,
transportation costs for materials and labor for the construction of this sliding
centre will be greatly reduced. Visual reference of Figure 1.1 comes from the
Whistler Sliding Centre used in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Figure 1.2: Concept for new venue (Almaty): Curling

The proposed curling venue for the Almaty 2022 bid will be constructed in the city
of Almaty itself. World-class curling facilities will be implemented in the Almaty 2022
curling centre, which will seat 3 000 people. Figure 1.2 visual reference is from the
Ice Cube Curling Center of the Sochi 2014 winter games.

Figure 1.3 Concept for new venue (Almaty): Figure Skating and Short Track Speed Skating

In recent Olympic tradition, figure skating and short-track speed skating are held in
the same venue, while hockey is hosted in another. Visual reference 1.3 is of the
Almaty Ice Palace, the larger and more prominent of the two hockey venues. The
figure skating and short-track speed skating venue will take much the same design
and seating capacity as the Almaty Ice Palace, and will be located quite close to it
as well in the heart of Almaty.

Medeu Cluster
Figure 1.4 Shymbulak Ski Resort (Zailiyskiy Alatau): Alpine Skiing (Downhill, Super G, Super Combined)

The Downhill, Super G, and Combined events of Alpine skiing will be held at
Shymbulak, a world-class ski resort situated in the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountain range.
The Shymbulaks tracks exceed the standards needed for these skiing events:
Downhill and Combined are usually around 3 300m long, while Super G is 2 000m,
all which have a steep 30% gradient.
Figure 1.5 Tabagan Alpine Resort (Medeu): Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding

The Tabagan Alpine Resort pictured in Figure 1.5 is the venue for freestyle skiing
and snowboarding. It is a very recently constructed venue that will be used for the
2017 Almaty Winter Universiade, meaning that both its capacity and the technology
and equipment that drive it are up to recent international standards.

Figure 1.6 Sunkar International Ski Jumping Complexes (Sunkar Precinct): Nordic Combined and Ski
Jumping

Figure 1.6 features the Nordic combined and ski jumping venue, the Sunkar
International Ski Jumping Complexes. This
venue was also built recently
for the 2017 Almaty Winter
Universiade. It features
world-class ski ramps of standard

Olympic length (120m). Because of Kazakhstans continental climate, which causes

very cold winters, there is no need to make fake snow for any of the outdoor
venues, which cuts down on costs.
Figure 1.7 Medeu Alpine Arena (Medeu): Speed Skating

The speed skating will be held in the popular outdoor ice rink, Figure 1.7, the Medeu
Alpine Arena. It is already a well-known tourist attraction, which will bring more
spectators to the event (and thereby selling more tickets). It is already equipped
with the means to handle large capacities of people because of this.

Ak Bulak Cluster
Figure 1.8 Ak Bulak Nordic Centre (Ak Bulak): Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing

The Ak Bulak Nordic Centre is located 20km away from Almaty. It has sufficient
amounts of snowfall and excellent tracks for the Nordic combined and cross-country
skiing events. It is well known for its vast and flat landscape that is incomparable to
any other venues for cross-country skiing events. It is also very common for athletes
to come to train and practice for their upcoming competitions.

Almaty Cluster
Figure 1.9 Almaty Ice Palace (Almaty): Hockey

Figure 1.10 Halyk Arena (Almaty): Hockey

Hockey will take place, as per Olympic tradition, in two venues, the Almaty Ice
Palace and the Halyk Arena. Both were newly built for the 2017 Almaty Winter
Universiade, so both facilities will be completely adequately equipped for the
Olympics. Both the Almaty Ice Palace and the Halyk Arena have plans to be used by
the residents of Almaty after the 2022 Olympics; Almaty Ice Palace will become a
public ice rink, while Halyks multifunctional structure allows for the ice sheets to be

removed and the facility to be converted to be courts for sports such as basketball,
volleyball, etc.

Physical Environment, Climate &

Meteorology

Accommodation
ATHLETES, COACHES & INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES
Olympic Villages will be constructed in each of the three clusters that the sport
venues are located in, Almaty, Medeu, and Ak Bulak. This is to ensure that the
athletes time and energy are spent productively, and not on unnecessarily long
transportation times.
Table 2.1 Olympic Village Information
Location
Almaty
Medeu
Ak Bulak

Anticipated Capacity
4 000
1 000
300

Building Types
1-4 bedroom apartments*
Hotels, 2-4 bedroom
apartments
Sports hotels

Table 2.1 describes the capacities and types of accommodation that will be offered
at the three Olympic Village locations. Since the majority of the Winter Olympic
events will take place at Almaty or at Medeu, these are the Olympic Villages with
the highest capacities. Medeu and Ak Bulak, each being more remote than Almaty
and close to popular tourist destinations (such as the outdoor Medeu Alpine Arena
and the Shymbulak Ski Resort), will lean more heavily in favour of hotels to
accommodate athletes. This is so that the lodgments may be used after the
Olympics as accommodation for tourists that will no doubt come after the fame that
the games will bring to the region. All Olympic Villages will be equipped with dining
halls, a swimming pool, a medical center, a cinema and domestic service facilities.
The bulk of the apartments required for the largest Olympic Village at Almaty will be
accounted for under the form of the lodgments constructed for the 2017 Winter
Universiade. These 8-9 storey apartment complexes will need to undergo serious
renovation in order to keep the rooms at the standard for such a renowned event;
however, this is still a much more economically sound plan than constructing new
accommodations for the Olympics. Not only will building new apartment complexes
require more monetary funds, but the later usage of these buildings will depend on
the changing real estate market of Almaty. Having more buildings constructed
represents a greater risk should the real estate market go into recession.
Figure 2.1 2017 Winter Universiade Athletes Village

Transportation

The Almaty 2022 Transport strategy is based on the principles of being mutually
beneficial, inclusive, and convenient. Safe and affordable public transportation will
be the focus of the plan.

ADVENTURE TO KAZAKHSTAN
The Almaty International Airport currently handles 4.3 million passengers per
annum, with its capacity being over 40,000 passengers per day. It currently offers
connecting flights to major airports all over the world including Bangkok, Beijing,
Dubai, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Moscow,
Abu Dhabi, and Seoul. It is located 5.9 km and only 30 minutes by bus to Almaty
city centre, and there are currently plans underway to offer a high capacity bus
rapid transit system. As of 2014, Almaty International Airport had 2 terminals, 4
international and national departure gates each, and a capacity of 1600 passengers
an hour. By 2022, the Airport is projected to be able to carry 4,200 passengers an
hour by increasing the number of departure gates as well as increasing the number
of runway movements an hour to 18.
Almaty has had experience with the handling of air traffic from previous major
winter sporting events held in the city. The city provided a positive experience for
visitors to the 2011 Asian Winter Games, and the 2017 Winter Universiade also held
in Almaty will allow Almaty to further prove its capability.

TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
Almaty is committed to the promise of safe, swift, and convenient journeys. A
contributing factor to this claim is the compact nature and short distances between
venues. All Olympic-related venues including the mountains is reachable within a 30
km radius from the city centre. A short commute duration will be further guaranteed
by the increased capacity of new roads. 8 new roads to the Tabagan mountain range
will be built as a result of existing sustainable transport plans that will also
contribute to air quality improvements. These roads will include passing lanes in
addition to two lanes that will allow two-way traffic. This will prevent traffic jams in
the case of an accident; the mountain roads will be safer and resistant to traffic
congestion.
The use of a park-and-ride system will also decrease the risk of traffic congestion.
There are four main park-and-ride lots as well as four train stations that offer a total
of 7,400 car spaces. From there, visitors may choose to take the train, metro, or
take advantage of FREE SHUTTLE BUSES that connect to the venues.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Almaty is committed to mutually beneficial and inclusive public transportation.
Inter-agency coordination between the transport delivery agency and all external
authorities and agencies responsible for transport will create a system that is easy
to access for all. The well-utilized public transport system of Almaty includes 119
bus routes (12 of which are trolley routes that are run on dedicated bus lanes) as
well as a clean new Metro line opened in 2011. The new Almaty Sustainable
Transport Strategy will also implement environmentally-conscious modes of
transportation for the goal of sustainable transport.

Table 1 Comparative analysis of the cost of transportation systems

Method of
Transportation
Shuttle Bus

Cost

Ridership

FREE

TBD

Metro
Adults: 80 tenge
(0.25 USD)
Children: 40 tenge
(0.12 USD)
Under 7: FREE

17,970 a day

Bus/Trolley

LRT Line

80 tenge (0.25 USD)

Bikes pay double

102,000 a day

TBD

23,000 a day

The state-of-the-art design of the Metro, opened in 2011, is the focal point for
modern transportation in the city of Almaty. The 9-station line runs for 11.3 km at an
average of 40 km an hour. Currently, the ridership averages out at 17,970 a day or
6.56 million a year; however, there are plans of expansion in the near future. Trains
arrive every 10-15 minutes and is the ideal method of transportation for anyone
who wants to travel on the line for only 80 tenge.

Table 2 The beautiful interiors of the Almaty Metro

As an extension of the environmentally conscious effort, a new low emission bus

fleet is to be installed alongside a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system that is scheduled
for completion by 2020. There will be bike lanes installed in 4 of the citys major
roads to encourage the use of bikes as an alternative transportation method. A new
Light Rail Tramway (LRT) line spanning 22 km is scheduled to be launched in Almaty
in 2018. It is to have a carrying capacity of 83,000 passengers per day.

Medical Services & Doping Control

STATE-OF-THE-ART MEDICAL SERVICES
Kazakhstan is fully prepared to offer only the highest quality of medical services.
The 301-bed Central Clinical Hospital is located less than 10 km from Olympic
Village, and its contemporary facilities are among the best in Kazakhstan. The
hospital provides a variety of medical services and its excellence is shown with its
international certification of compliance to the TUF-SERT ISO 900-2001 standard
since 2007. Over 3000 medical professionals are employed at this facility, and they
are experienced with treating the Kazakhstan national Olympic team. During the
Olympics and for a suitable time period prior to the event, care will be free for all
Olympic and Paralympic athletes, IOC and other Olympic committee members.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE
In addition, there is a network of 9 scientific research institutes, 15 teaching
hospitals, more than 30 healthcare centres, and 15 subsidiary stations available for
24-hour assistance throughout Almaty. This will contribute to an increase in
emergency response times. The Almaty Emergency Department consists of 20
divisions, 47 specialised units and five emergency response units. It totals 12,000
personnel that are well-managed and equipped with state-of-the art facilities that
are prepared for a wide range of situations.

DOPING CONTROL
The National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) of Kazakhstan employs 30 doping
control officers trained by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The anti-doping
laboratory located in Almaty is WADA-accredited since 2011 and is scheduled for an
upgrade in 2016. Kazakhstan has passed anti-doping legislation and as of 2015 the
NADO is fully compliant with the World Anti-Doping code, joining over hundreds of
international Olympic committees.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT THRU 2022

The Government of Kazakhstan has instated several plans for development thru
2022 in preparation for the Olympic bid. 1500 additional doctors from all regions of
Kazakhstan will be recruited for the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter
Games. In addition, the Development of Health Manpower Resources 2015-2018 will
increase the standard of medical education offered in Kazakhstan. Training
guidelines for specific specialties will be expanded, the number of internships
offered throughout the country will be increased, and high level foreign experts will
also be regularly invited to the country to teach in medical institutions.

Safety and Security

Technology & Energy

Customs & Immigration Formalities

Government & Public Support

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Almatys bid to host the 2022 Winter Games is a project regarded with the highest
national priority, and has the full support of all relevant national, regional and local
authorities as well as agencies and stakeholders. Because this project plays a,
integral part of Kazakhstans vision for its long-term development, the President of
the Republic of Kazakhstan has founded an Organising Committee to provide
government support that backs the vision of Almaty 2022, and to make financial
and political commitments available. The Almaty 2022 Organising Committee
consists of the heads of governmental agencies at the national, regional and local
levels.

The Committee is chaired by the Prime Minister, and key members include
representatives of the City of Almaty as well as the Region of Almaty. Thus, all
relevant public authorities are closely involved, enabling the main roles and
responsibilities to be carried out in timely fashion. Full involvement is a major factor
in the success of the bid, and will also facilitate the effective transition to the
planning and implementation stages should the Almaty bid win.

Table 3 The Involvement and Standing of Political Parties in Kazakhstan Regarding the Almaty 2022 bid

PUBLIC
SUPPORT
The idea of hosting the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Almaty is
strongly supported by a vast majority of the population at both the national and
local scale. Furthermore, the volume of support has increased steadily since the
announcement of the Bid. The first opinion poll conducted showed support of 66%
for the Winter games in Almaty. Moreover, according to a survey conducted from
July 12 to 15 in 2014, the idea to host the 2022 Winter Games in Almaty displayed
79% support and only 10% opposition. 1,600 representative respondents from
Astana, Almaty and 14 regional centres of Kazakhstan took part in the poll. Almost
90% of these respondents believe in the positive outlook of hosting the Winter
Olympic and Paralympic Games. The interviewees from the survey mentioned
increasing opportunities to improve Kazakhstans global reputation, development of
sport industries and facilities, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, and the attraction
of foreign investors to Almaty during the preparation and operation of the Winter
Games, as reasons for their support.
Another common perception was that hosting the 2022 Olympics and Paralympics
would favourably stimulate the citys active development, and stir the activity of the
young populous. Among the same pool of interviewees, 12% have stated that they

would actively attend the competitions should Almaty host the 2022 Winter Games,
while 3% expressed that they wish to work as volunteers.
An Almaty 2022 awareness campaign further increased the support for Almatys
bid, through events such as the mass cycle tour in which more than 2,000
supporters participated in the summer of 2014.

OPPOSITION
There are no known oppositions to Almatys bid for the 2022 Olympic and
Paralympic Winter Games, nonetheless, the Almaty 2022 Organising Committee
pursues a firm policy of accountability as the foundation of their Olympic project.
This policy also states the Almaty 2022 bids willingness to engage without
prejudice regarding all issues.

Marketing & Cost-Benefit Analysis

JOINT MARKETING PROGRAMME AGREEMENT
The Almaty 2022 Bid Committee, along with the City of Almaty, and all relevant
national sport federations, have agreed on a Joint Marketing Programme to optimize
the revenue-generating ability. This will ultimately allow for an efficient
management of all Olympic marketing activities, avoiding conflicts, and ensuring
exclusivity. With this agreement also follows the guaranteed city-wide exclusive
coverage. This was granted by the City of Almaty, providing exclusive access to all
advertising spaces within the grounds of the sites of the 2022 Winter Games, as
well as on all neighbouring facilities within a 500m radius. This guarantee includes
first purchase rights to all private advertising space within the entirety of Almaty in
2022.

TICKETING
A sophisticated ticket distribution system combined with a highly developed sales
network will ensure sufficient access for all income groups. Overall 4 categories of
tickets will be offered: category A provides the best seats and category D will
provide the most affordable. In consideration of the possible traffic strain on the day
of events, all ticket holders will be given free access to public transportation on the
day of their events. In total, 2.1 million tickets will be available for the Almaty 2022
Winter Games with 1.5 million for permanent seats and 0.6 for temporary ones.
With an average ticket price of $106 USD, the total revenue will translate into

approximately $201 million USD for the Olympic Games, and $5 million for the
Paralympic Games. The tickets will be available at prices between US $20, and US
$1000, while the Paralympic games will be at sale at a price range between US $2
to US $100.

LICENSED MERCHANDISE
The sales of licensed merchandise in Kazakhstan are projected to raise $150 million
USD. The categories of products are chosen to make sure a broad and demanddriven range of merchandise is available.
Table 3 Projected Income from Licensed Merchandise Sales

TOTAL EXPENDITURE
The outlook for the total expenditure should the Almaty 2022 bid win, is
approximately $1.64 billion USD in capital investment, and covers both the
competition and non-competition venues.
Table 4 Capital InvestmentsCompetition and Non-Competition Venues

Despite
large amounts of
projected income, due
to the extensive
investments, it can be
concluded that with the
Almaty 2022

Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, there will be a net loss of money for
Kazakhstan. However, as the large amounts of support has suggested, the national

recognition and pride that hosting this competition will bring outweighs the costs of
making it happen.