Turkey Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kılıç said his country's Olympics candidacy process includes "plans for a 100,000-person temporary stadium to be constructed in the Haydarpaşa neighborhood of İstanbul's Kadıköy district," according to TODAYS ZAMAN. Kılıç stated that "if Turkey's bid is successful the ministry plans to establish a temporary stadium in Haydarpaşa, a neighborhood on the Asian side of İstanbul, which will accommodate 100,000 people." It will be the site of the opening ceremony in which the spectators will be able to see the famous Kız Kulesi (Maiden's Tower), the panorama of the historic peninsula, the center of ancient İstanbul, and the Bosporus at the same time." Kılıç also stated that it "declared a total of 36 sports facilities" in Turkey's application to the IOC. Kılıç said, "Eleven of those declared facilities already exist while 25 of them will newly be established" (TODAYS ZAMAN, 3/26).
TRAFFIC JAM: HÜRRIYET DAILY NEWS reported Istanbul "promises to solve its traffic problem if its bid is successful." Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım said, "The Games Transport Directorate has been established to take responsibility for the operational planning and delivery of Games transport services. Our transport projects will leave a tremendous legacy for Istanbul and will be executed, irrespective of whether we are awarded the honor of hosting the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games" (HÜRRIYET DAILY NEWS, 3/27)
