With the distinct advantage of having bid for the 2010 Winter Games, Salzburg was able to use the IOC 2010 Evaluation Commission Report as a blueprint for improving its new plan. By following the IOC’s guidance and reconfiguring its venue selection, Salzburg 2014 was able to eliminate the long-distances that so often separate Olympic ice and snow events – and ensure ease of access by aligning all but three of its venues along the high-capacity corridors of the A1 and A10 Autobahns.

In simplifying its vision, the Salzburg team has created a compact plan that reaches for the ultimate Winter Games model – a One Olympic Village, Two Cluster Concept with the ice events grouped in Salzburg and the snow events grouped in the mountains just south of the city. The sliding events will be held in Königssee, which is basically in-between the ice and snow clusters. The overall dimensions of the plan – at 55 minutes end-to-end – make it possible to have a single Medals Plaza for all Olympians in the heart of the city. The plan is designed to provide the Olympic Family with the most compact and intimate setting for the Winter Games in the last two decades.

Salzburg 2014 Games Plan © Salzburg 2014/www.bquadrat.at/blum, August 2006

The principle of unity was a driving force for the Village location, the selection of venues and the placement of sports and the Main Media Centre. 8 out of the 11 venues selected (73%) currently exist and regularly host major events on the world-cup circuit. Recognizing the critical importance of consolidating media operations, Salzburg also chose to place its Main Media Centre in an existing facility at the heart of the plan adjacent to the ice venues.

Within the Snow Cluster, an optional Snow Village with 1,500 beds will be provided for the athletes and teams who prefer to stay within minutes of their competition sites. With the optional Village added, the average travel time for athletes to the snow venues is 12 minutes.