World Class 80,000 seat Baghdad Olympic Stadium To Be Completed in 2008

World Stadiums ^

[MaxMax]

Soccer moms "worldwide" will be proud.

[SolidWood]

You and me didn't pay this. Since apparently the money for the Turkish contractor came from the Oil-for-Food programme (I assume therefore this stadium was already planned under Saddam), it's the Iraqis who paid for this with blood and money.

[Allegra]

Maybe the 2016 Olympics should be in Baghdad instead of LA or Chicago????

Baghdad is too hot in the summer.

My hometown, Houston made a play for the 2012 Olympics a while back and actually made up a formal proposal and hosted the IOC and all of that. As my beloved city showed off its facilities and various other assets, I kept wondering, "When is somebody going to mention our summer climate??"

Baghdad's summer weather is actually worse.

[Pro-Bush]

Oh yeah, I know all about the oil for food program, with Kofi and his son.

Who funds the UN?

[SolidWood]

Unfortunately we do.

[BushMeister]

Whenever a goal is scored, Sunni and Shi'a spectators will trade mortar fire. Suicide bombers will work the concession areas.

[Allegra]

Whenever a goal is scored, Sunni and Shi'a spectators will trade mortar fire. Suicide bombers will work the concession areas

That's optimistic.

Do you work for the New York Times?

[tomnbeverly]

In other news: Democrats vow that U.S. soldiers will never set foot in this Stadium. Nor will any monuments be erected in Iraq to comemorate its advances to Freedom and Democracy.

[jla]

That's optimistic.... Do you work for the New York Times?

*snort*

Good one, Allegra!

[ExGeeEye]

but...but...Bush!....and....insurgents!....and....Civil War!.....and....Hallibuton!....and....Blackwater....bush....ummm......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[section9]

Actually, in all seriousness, this will be a great venue for the Iraqi national passion, football (soccer). The Iraqi national team will now have a home.

There's a reason this is being built.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[ExGeeEye]

Seriously, I think it's wonderful.

It will not be publicized in the MSM for the "reasons" stated above.

[Marine_Uncle]

Good for them. Hope it will work out as anticipated. I don't pretend to have a clue as how the Iraqi business community/Government plans on recouping the costs over a period of time, but such an ambititous projects might indicated they figure the insurgency will be far behind them by the time the place is open for business. Perhaps the intent is simply to let the IG cover the costs with the prime intent to show a modern landmark where nations might gathter in a peacefull future Iraq.

[skarrufa]

The stadium it appears is not destined to see light. I should now I am an Iraqi and an architect and I designed it. Everyone may rest assured NOBODY’S money is paying for it. The original site was in northern Baghdad in Tadji. When Saddam fell we were contacted to suggest if lowering the capacity to 60000 and an increase of fifteen million dollars would do to complete the project. That was the last we heard of the subject officially. But in the runnup to the 2005 elections several parties laid foundations stones for the project on TV in THREE different sites in and around Baghdad. When I visited the ministry of sports in 2006 to inquire about the project a young engineer told me she had’nt heard of it even though a printout of the design was hanging behind her head.
For those interested the roof is suspended on combined steel and concrete pylons. They are designed in pairs according to the stress they bear. The one in the middle in front of the main stand is concrete and is designed for aesthetic reasons as a central pivot.

[Chgogal]

I’m so sorry that it’s not slated to be built. It is such a beautiful design. It’s difficult to imagine that the stadium is not a top priority considering how popular football is and how well Iraq did in the World Cup. What are the Ministry’s top projects and how do they rank in cost?

Here is a post from linux07ster. There are some great things happening in Iraq. Wish we heard more about the positive things here in the States.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1807747/posts?page=10#10

BTW, Welcome to FreeRepublic!

[Allegra]

Welcome to Free Republic!

Are you in the U.S. or in Iraq?

I am an American who works in Iraq.