Stockholm to host 06 Eurovision Song Contest

The Globe Arena in Stockholm - venue for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest

Stockholm has been announced as the Host City for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. EBU Member and host broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT) has chosen the city's Globe Arena to stage the world's longest running international TV music competition.

The 61st Eurovision Song Contest will take place on 10, 12 and 14 May 2016.

The Swedish capital has hosted two previous Eurovision Song Contests in 1975 and 2000 when the competition was also held at the Globe Arena.

Jon Ola Sand, the EBU's Executive Supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest, welcomed the announcement of the 2016 venue: "We are glad that SVT has found a dedicated partner in Stockholm as Host City for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. With fresh memories of a successful contest in Malm back in 2013, we are looking forward to once again taking the world's biggest music show to new heights in Sweden next May."

The venue in the Johanneshov district in the south of Stockholm is the largest hemispherical building in the world and can seat up to 16,000 spectators.

SVT's Executive Producer for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest Martin sterdahl says the whole of the complex around the Globe Arena will also be used for the show: Having several arenas at our disposal gives us the opportunity to produce the Eurovision Song Contest in the Globe Arena, to have the Press Centre in Hovet and the delegations in Annexet. The crowning glory is that we can make the Grand Final even more impressive by incorporating the Tele2 Arena into the event.

The search for the 2016 Host City began right after M ns Zelmerl w gave Sweden its 6th Eurovision Song Contest win in Vienna on May 23 with his song Heroes.

The CEO of SVT Hanna Stj rne says she's looking forward to welcoming around 40 countries to Stockholm next year: Artists, broadcasters and Eurovision fans will get a chance to discover the creativity and the musical engagement we have in Sweden.

The Eurovision Song Contest is not only a magical musical party but also a festival and in Stockholm in May next year we will be able to offer everybody both, she added.

While SVT will look after bringing the Eurovision Song Contest to 200 million viewers around the world, logistics and events for the thousands of fans visiting the host city will be handled by the City of Stockholm.

Tickets for the 61st Eurovision Song Contest are expected to go on sale towards the end of 2015. EBU Member broadcasters have until September 15 to formally submit their applications to take part in next year's competition.

LINK:	http://www3.ebu.ch/news/2015/07/stockholm-to-host-2016-eurovisio...
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