Sydney 2000 XXVII Olympiad - 15 September to 1 October

In 1993 Sydney, Australia was chosen to host the Olympic Games in the year 2000. Sydney, the largest city in Australia with a population of approximately four million is located on the east coast of Australia it is built on Sydney Harbour, which is one of Australia's most beautiful waterways. The climate is temperate, with warm to hot summers and midly cold winters. At the time of the Olympic Games the temperature should range from 16 to 20 degrees Celsius.

The staging of the 2000 Games is the responsibility of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG). The New South Wales Government underwrites the Games and is responsible for providing venues and facilities through the Olympic Co-ordination Authority. The Games would not be possible without the international and local companies who have pledged their support and goods and services through the Sydney 2000 sponsor partnerships.

All Olympic events will be staged within close proximity to the city and the Olympic village. Sydney Olympic Park is being developed in the suburb of Homebush and will include an Olympic stadium with the capacity to seat 80,000 spectators and an indoor sports and entertainment venue with seating for 15,000 spectators. Buses, trains and river and harbour ferries will provide transport for athletes and visitors.

Up to 10,200 athletes and about 5100 officials from 200 countries are expected to take part in 28 sports. They will be joined by 15,000 media, who will provide various forms of coverage for an estimated worldwide audience of 3.5 billion.

The Olympic Village will provide accommodation for 15,000 athletes and will be designed in consultation with Green Peace to ensure the highest environment standards. After the games the buildings will be renovated and sold as a housing development.

Paralympics will be held in Sydney in October 2000 involving approximately 5000 athletes and 1000 officials from 62 nations.

Even before the Games commences, millions of Australians and their neighbours in the Pacific will experience the excitement as the Olympic flame travels around the region in the Torch Relay.

Logistically, the Games is huge. Employment opportunities are regularly advertised. Thousands of volunteers will be needed to help run the Games. They will assist as interpreters, guides and working in media and results centres. Games technology sponsors are working on systems which will bring virtually instant results at venues, to the media and on the Internet. Of course this could not be possible without sponsors and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Approximately 5.5 million tickets will be sold, with reasonable prices giving all Australians a chance to see events.

All this costs money. With a Games budget of $2.288 billion, SOCOG's financial commitment to the Athletes Games is also backed by some of the world's leading financial institutions and insurance companies.

SOCOG is ensuring the memory of the Millennium Games will be a lasting one. Part of those memories also involve the production of quality Games merchandise, which helps fund the Games. Sydney 2000 memorabilia, led by our trio of Mascots, is already being sold. More product lines will become available as the Games approaches.