Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi`s DCH Group almost fully met and even exceeded its commitments to Kharkiv's preparations for Euro-2012. This Ukrainian and foreign journalists were able to see on 17th of May, during a press tour of the key objects of the city's preparations for the forthcoming championship.
The program of journalistic "inspection" included five familiar objects (Metalist stadium, the International Airport "Kharkiv", 5 * hotel Kharkiv Palace on Svobody Square, training ground, a children's football academy), as well as a new one - the Dynamo stadium, which Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi cleaned up, and which will also be actively used during Euro 2012. The press tour participants first learned that during the tournament, Children`s Football Academy Metalist will be volunteer center, and were the first ones to have personally seen how was the second phase of training ground constructed and how did the construction site of a temporary airport terminal from the airport apron looked like.
The press tour started from Metalist stadium - the first object of DCH`s Complex Program of Kharkiv preparation for Euro-2012. After the presentation of the volunteer program UEFA delegation of journalists had an opportunity to assess progress made in the reconstruction of the playing pitch, as well as to communicate with representatives of companies that are world leaders in the arrangement of the sports pitch covering (STRI and Clive Richardson Limited). As previously reported, the volume of Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi`s investments in the reconstruction of the pitch of Kharkiv stadium is EUR 3 million. And the investor personally controls all the processes up to the choice of materials. "They went to select the gravel right to the quarry, it should have been freshly graded that it was no dust on it, sand was selected of only certain grade, it underwent laboratory monitoring before getting on the pitch", - said Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi. Commissioning of the updated pitch is scheduled for June, but still for about a year STRI specialists will monitor its condition and make recommendations on the operation of the pitch. "Upon completion of the work the quality of Kharkiv stadium pitch will be one of the best in Ukraine", - said Iaroslavskyi. As you know, Metalist stadium was reconstructed in the form of public-private partnership: the private investment amounted 30% of the total investment, 70% - budget money.
At the stadium was discussed the second euroobject, which has long been commissioned - Children's Football Academy, in which at the time of Euro 2012 will be placed UEFA volunteers. The core of the Kharkiv group of volunteers will be guys who are already cooperating with FC Metalist under the project "Towards each other" Markiyan Lubkivsky, Director of the IOC "Euro 2012 - Ukraine", who on the same day, May 17, at the Kharkiv Metalist stadium held a presentation of UEFA volunteer program, in his speech he stressed that "capital of Slobozhanshchina has the most advanced infrastructure for the volunteers." Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi, in his turn, called Kharkiv youth to be actively involved in volunteering: "The Championship has become to Kharkiv a part of life, I feel the pulse of this tournament every day and every moment... We have to work so that guests of Euro 2012 have always remembered it, and they had the desire to visit Kharkiv again. His contribution to the promotion of Euro 2012 in Kharkiv made FC Metalist player Marko Devic, whom Markiyan Lubkivsky handed a diploma and the honorary badge "Friend of Euro 2012."
Third object, which was attended by members of the press tour was a 5 star hotel Kharkiv Palace on one of the biggest squares in Europe – Svobody Sq. "The task of the architects - to make such a format, that it did not stand out from the overall structure of "horseshoe", which borders the square. That is, for example, Gosprom building, the university, which have a certain style. The hotel building should fit into this style and it fits. This is not French "luxury", it is discreet luxury" - told Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi, the only investor of the facility, to reporters about the architectural decision of the hotel. Opening of the hotel is scheduled for December 5. To ensure compliance with schedules, on-site work does not stop on weekends or public holidays. "Round the clock construction employs 350 workers," - said Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi. The total investment in its construction, according to preliminary estimates, will exceed 100 million dollars. The hotel will be the first in Kharkiv, which was originally designed by the standards of "5 stars".
The fourth object "inspected" by journalists during a press tour was added last in DCH Group`s complex program of Kharkiv preparation for Euro-2012. We are talking about the Dynamo stadium. The pitch on it has been replaced, stands were restored, and the premises were renovated. Now there is a restoration of the North Stand. After the completion, Dynamo stadium will seat ten thousand spectators. As Markiyan Lubkivsky confirmed, it would allow its use as a transit base during Euro 2012.
Fifth visited construction site has become the second phase of Metalist training base in Vysokiy village near Kharkiv. Commissioning is scheduled for late 2011. Under the project, the second phase will be presented in the format of a hotel complex, fully compliant with the requirements of UEFA for the highest category of hotels (5 stars). The complex will include 33 hotel rooms, including three suites of luxury, class rooms and six junior suites. "Together with the first phase the base fully satisfies the requirements of UEFA for training camps to accommodate the teams participating in the tournament. After the football European Championship-2012 houses will be used to accommodate guests of the club", - said Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi and confirmed that after the Euro 2012 country hotel of the 2nd stage will be called Metalist. And during the tournament in Kharkiv, the complex will be used to place the VIP-guests and representatives of UEFA target groups (the so-called "UEFA family"). Total volume of Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi`s investments into the project of the second phase of training ground is 6 million dollars.
Sixth site, attended by representatives of the media, was the International Airport "Kharkiv". The tour of it included visiting not only the new terminal (it was commissioned in 2010), but a visit to the construction site of the temporary terminal, which will work by to Euro 2012 (currently about 40% of planned works were done). As previously reported, the airport complex is reconstructed and expanded by the private investor. Oleksandr Iaroslavskyi has already invested more than 80 million dollars into building a new terminal building (including modernizing of the station square), and is currently funding the restoration of the historic building of the "old" airport and construction of a temporary terminal for the main croud peak during the matches of Euro 2012. Reconstruction of the airport complex, including the construction of a new runway, is made at the expense of the central budget.
