The Stadium Design and Development Istanbul conference kicked off yesterday at the Sheraton Maslak Istanbul, with various leading local and international experts discussing best practice in stadium design and developments across Turkey as well as other regions. The event served as a breeding ground for fresh ideas and new solutions to boost the stadium design and development industry, as Istanbul moves closer to a decision on whether it will host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Chaired by Ruben Reddy of Ruben Reddy Architects, the event kicked off with a joint presentation on "Discovering the investment environment of Turkey and opportunities for national and international companies". The session provided great insights for international delegates interested in working in Turkey. It was led by Dr. Cem Unal, Managing Partner of McBDC Partners, and included a key presentation from Ahmet Cuneyt Selcuk, Chief Project Director, Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey.
Ahmed presented on the strength of Turkey for international companies. In his presentation he commented ‘There are various reasons for global companies to invest in Turkey – the domestic market is strong with GDP US$786 billions and has grown 5% annually over last ten years. Turkey’s 2012 exports reached an all time high of US$152.6 billion.’ This was followed by a presentation from Dr Cem on the global sports market highlighting Turkey and its achievements. He noted that ‘The number of sportsman in Turkey is increasing year-by-year, and this was reflected as Istanbul was recently selected as the European Sports Capital.’
The session was followed by a presentation by Orhan Gorbon, CEO of Gorbon Sports Management International, covering the past and future of stadium developments in Turkey with a perspective on mega events. The day ended with a presentation by Slobodan Delic, Director Venue Technology Management and Result Services from the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games, as the country prepares to host these major games next year. This presentation discussed modifying legacy venues into fully operational facilities for major sport events, ensuring that venues are built with future generations in mind. This is a a hot topic for Istanbul if it is successful in its 2020 bid.
The summit will continue tomorrow with various presentations and discussions including insights from Kemal Dincer, General Manager, Fenerbahçe Basketball Operations; Ihsan Necipoglu, General Manager Turkey & Central Asia, Dow; J Parrish, Director, AECOM Global Sports Europe; Nazmi Durbakaym, President of Board, INDER (Constructors Association of Istanbul); Pawel Janawa, Business Development Engineer, Forum Seating and Erdem Soyal, Senior Business Development Manager Arena Solutions, Philips Lighting.
Ashley Phillips, Conference Director, adds ‘With two days of in-depth presentations and interactive discussions from Istanbul and across the globe, this event provides attendees with the perfect opportunity to discuss the latest advancements in stadium design and development, the most cutting-edge technology available to enhance fan and athlete experience, and the recent updates in regulation, technology and stadium management. It is great to see the various host countries such as Turkey, United Kingdom, South Africa and Russia coming together to discuss solutions for challenges faced by the industry.’
For more information on the presentations and case-studies presented at Stadium Design and Development Istanbul, please visit www.stadium-turkey.com.
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