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Last property deal boosts Munich's 2018 Olympic bid

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-05-18 14:30

MUNICH - Munich's bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics received a major boost when organizers secured the last piece of property needed for the downhill course on Tuesday.

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The deal came through one day before Munich presents its bid to the International Olympic Committee.

"The properties for the sporting events of the 2018 Winter Games now have been secured 100 percent," said Bernhard Schwank, the chief executive of the Munich bid.

"Seven years before possibly staging the games we have an optimal offer for the IOC."

The bid ran into trouble because landowners in Garmisch-Partenkirchen refused to hand over their properties for the games. The Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen will host skiing events if Munich gets the Olympics.

Local citizens voted in favor of the Olympics in a referendum one week ago.

Mayor Thomas Schmid said he was pleased that "this important property" was secured in "careful and constructive talks."

The last property to be secured was about 3,500 square meters.