Hungary Expecting Large Price Tag for 2017 World Championships Facilities

According to an article from Hungary Today, the price for the preparation and construction of the facilities for the 2017 FINA World Championships could be upward of 49 billion Hungarian forint, which translates to roughly 157 million euros or $177 million US dollars. The facility is slated for construction in the north end of Budapest, the capital of the Central European nation.

As reported earlier by Swimming World back in February, Guadalajara, the original hosts of the 2017 Championships, dropped out of hosting the event due to high costs which they blamed on FINA. Looking for a new host, in April FINA officially signed a hosting deal with Hungary, giving the country the 2017 Championships. Hungary was originally slated to host the 2021 World Championships.

While the cost of hosting one of aquatics premier events will come with a hefty price tag, Hungary Today notes that the event will help to boost the nation’s image abroad. The periodical projects this to be the largest sporting event Hungary has ever hosted, with roughly 5 billion viewers from around the globe expected to tune in to the 2017 Championships.

Hungary has a strong tradition in swimming on the international stage, including being home to Olympic legend Krisztina Egerszegi, one of only three swimmers to three-peat an event on the Olympic stage. Egerszegi, who is a Budapest native, won the 200 back at the 88′, 92′, and 96′ Games in addition to holding the world record in the event for 17 years.

The country is also home to current international stars László Cseh and Katinka Hosszú, who could both be medal threats in multiple events in their home country in 2017 should they still be competing.

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Bill Bell

8 years ago

Triple that price tag for all costs associated with hosting the Championhips — say half-a-bil, give or take, and not hard to see y Guadalajara bailed and y noU.S. city will be throwing its goggles into the pool anytime soon.

Boston anyone?

Chump change for Harvard!