Eurovision budget way overspent

Increased security demands from the authorities among the reasons

May 5, 2014

With less than 48 hours to go before the first Eurovision semi-final starts, a confidential brief from the capital region authorities, Region Hovedstaden, has revealed that the Eurovision budget has been way overspent.

The confidential report, here in Danish in Metroxpress newspaper, showed that the national broadcaster Danmarks Radio (DR) has had to cough up an additional 22.8 million kroner after the company tasked with setting up the event ran out of funds.

Projektselskabet, a subsidiary of the tourism and event organsation for the Danish capital, Wonderful Copenhagen, informed DR that increased security demands by the authorities are among the reasons for the cost spike.

Blaming DR
“On top of that the expenses for power, plumbing, heating and ventilation will be considerably higher, partly because the venue’s sewage system is defective and partly due to DR placing the employee and media facilities in tents outside the venue instead of inside as originally planned,” the brief stated.

The extra millions will be added to the close to 50 million kroner that the government has already allocated for the renovation of the venue, the former B&W shipyard on Refshaleøen. DR, which is state-owned and funded by taxpayers, has agreed to foot the extra bill.

While opposition parties are up in arms over the news, the city mayor, Frank Jensen, and Wonderful Copenhagen have yet to comment on the situation.