Eurovision 2021: Rotterdam’s City Council approves extra budget to host next year’s contest

Eurovision 2021: Rotterdam’s City Council approves extra budget to host next year’s contest

The City council of Rotterdam has approved with a large majority the extra badget of 6.7 million in order to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after the cancellation of Eurovision 2020. 

After this year’s cancellation due to the Coronavirus outbreak, it was rational for Rotterdam to have the first say at hosting next year’s edtion. However such new hosting   by the city of Rotterdam means the city will have to pay a further €6.7 million. That amount is in addition to the €15 million the city has already spent on the organisation of the 2020 edition, which was not covers by any insurance.

While the debate on hosting the next year’s contest saw the objections rise from a part of the seats in City’s council, a voting was held today in order to approve of the extra funding needed to support the decision of hosting the competition next year. As expected a large majority of the city’s council supported the proposal of funding with a 6.7 million extra budget the organisation of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Alderman Said Kasmi ( Education, Culture & Tourism Councilor) is also pleased with the decision and says:

The most important thing for us is that we can make it a party for and for everyone. We have been working hard lately and we are ready to welcome the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021 in our city.

Rotterdam Ahoy has reacted with pleasure to the decision:

We are pleased with this decision of the city council. We started this process together with the municipality of Rotterdam and other partners last year and would like nothing more than to welcome the Songfestival in Rotterdam and Ahoy in 2021.

A spokesperson for the NPO, NOS and AVROTROS said:

To be very grateful and proud that Rotterdam and Ahoy once again say yes to the welcoming of the event again. In recent weeks, the project organization of the Eurovision Song Contest from the public broadcaster has focused on the settlements surrounding this year’s canceled event. At the same time, we are preparing for the possible organization of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021 in Rotterdam.

The European Broadcast Union (EBU) had put the pressure on the boiler by demanding a decision from Rotterdam before the end of the month. Should the city abandon the candidacy, there was still enough time to check another municipality in the Netherlands. Apart form that it was essential to have a quick confirmation so as Rotterdam Ahoy can reschedule its reservations for April and May 2021.

Whether the Eurovision Song Contest will actually take place in Rotterdam is not yet entirely certain. In order to be able to give a definitive answer about this, the NPO, NOS and AVROTROS must first answer a number of organizational, production and financial issues. They hope to be able to give a definite answer about this in May.

Source: Nu.nl / parool.nl / esctoday 

photo: Glazen-Maas

Angelo D.

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