Legacy plans confirmed for venues used at PyeongChang 2018
Agreements have been signed in the Republic of Korea to reuse two venues that were used during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.
Originally designed for temporary use during the Games, the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) will now be remodelled into a national archive for the National Library of Korea and the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee headquarters will be used as a winter sports training centre under the management of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC). Government authorities were in discussions on possibilities to reuse the venues since June of last year following the end of the Olympic Winter Games.
The national archives will store all periodicals and journals that are published in the country in order to preserve these documents for generations to come. The current archives building located in Seoul will reach its storage capacity in approximately five years. The facility will also have a sports and cultural space allowing local residents in PyeongChang to benefit from the new developments. After the planning process, the remodelling design will be done by 2021 with completion estimated to be in 2023.
The PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee offices will be remodelled into a winter sports training centre with training facilities, cafeteria, educational space, and accommodations to allow national and international athletes a training alternative within Korea. It will also be a training centre for athletes with impairments in addition to being open for public use.
“The IBC is a symbol of the contributions to peace on the peninsula that started with the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018,” said Park Joo Hwang, Director of the National Library of Korea. “It is extremely meaningful that we are able to use this venue and create a legacy for the Games that will contribute to the development of the region.”
Government authorities believe that the direct economic effect of these recent developments will be approximately 106.3 billion won (USD 94.5 million), in addition to long-term positive effects on the local economy.
The IOC welcomes the decision taken by local organizers on these venues that were used during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. These positive steps reinforce the importance of sport venue legacies having long-term benefits for host countries. The IOC is confident that the legacy plans for the four venues around which there are open questions will be finalised soon in the framework of the foundation to be established by the Korean government in the first half of 2019.
The IOC is committed to supporting and promoting tangible and intangible legacies of the Olympic Games. This is why the IOC has decided to contribute its share of the surplus of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 for the benefit of sport and youth activities in Korea.