Copenhagen has been selected to host the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, public broadcaster DR announced this morning.
Denmark earned the right to host the annual talent competition this spring when Emmelie de Forest won in the neighbouring city of Malmö, Sweden.
Copenhagen, which hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001, beat out a number of provincial cities vying to host the event thanks to its capacity to stage a major international event watched by an estimated 170 million people, according to DR.
Welcome to the home of Copenhell
The 2001 Eurovision final was held in Parken, the national stadium, but this time DR has chosen the disused industrial site Refshaleøen, which has previously hosted heavy metal festival Copenhell and underground music event Distortion.
Pernille Gaardbo, who is leading DR’s efforts to organise the 2014 show, said she believed Refshaleøen would be “the most innovative” Eurovison site in the event’s 57-year hstory.
She said the site, an islet on the Copenhagen waterfront that is also home to a sewage treatment plant and seven wind turbines, would be transformed into "Eurovision Island" for the event.
The 2014 Eurovision final will be held on May 10. The two semi-finals will be held on May 6 and 8.
