ERZURUM BID TO HOST THE 2009 WINTER UNIVERSIADE...

Erzurum was a candidate to host the 24th Winter Universiade, University Winter Games in 2009, an event with 3,000 participants including 2,500 athletes as well as members of the press and officials. Following Erzurum's application to host the Universiade, a delegation from the International University Sports Federation (F.I.S.U.) visited the city on October 10, 2004, before visiting Erzurum's competitor to host the Universiade, Harbin, China, later in the month.

During the October Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) Assembly Meeting, ICOC Chairman Mehmet Yıldırım gave ICVB Chairman and ICOC Assembly Member Yilmaz Tecmen responsibility for supporting Erzurum in its bid to host the Universiade. In order to exchange ideas and design a strategy for the bid, Mr. Tecmen and ICVB Marketing and Sales Manager Elif Balcı Fisunoglu traveled to Erzurum on October 27* and 28th to meet with Erzurum Governor Celalettin Güvenc, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipal Mayor Ahmet Kucukler, Atatürk University President Prof. Dr. Yasar Sutbeyaz, Erzurum Chamber of Commerce and Industry Assembly Member Fuat Kulacoglu and Erzurum Province Youth and Sports Director Fatih Cintimar. As a result of the meeting, it was agreed to share responsibility for the preparation presentation to be made to F.I.S.U. delegates and other promotional materials necessary for the bid .

As part of the bid process, it was decided to prepare an Erzurum publicity film, a bid book, Flash presentation, presentation folder, brochure, CD-ROM and promotional giveaway items. In the course of preparing these materials, ICVB General Manager, Handan Boyce, Marketing and Sales Manager, Elif Balcı Fisunoglu and WordSmith Advertising Managing Director Beau Higgins traveled to Erzurum on numerous occasions for meetings with local officials and to gather information for preparation of the materials.

On December 13th, a delegation headed by Erzurum Governor, Celalettin Güvenc, traveled to the F.I.S.U. headquarters in Brussels along with ICVB General Manager Handan Boyce and Marketing and Sales Manager Elif Balcı Fisunoglu both to lobby for Erzurum's candidacy and to clarify various technical details regarding the candidacy. At the meeting, both Erzurum's desire to host the 2009 Winter Universiade and the firm support of both the local government and the Turkish national government were communicated to a delegation headed by F.I.S. U. General Secretary Roch Campana, who also provided answers to technical questions posed by ICVB representatives.

From fanuary 7th — 11th, the F.I.S.U. Executive Committee met in Innsbruck, Austria to select the city that would host the 2009 Winter Universiade. As soon as they arrived, the candidate cities began promoting their candidacies by setting up their stands prior to the presentations that would be made on January 10th.

A delegation headed by Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Sports and including Erzurum Members of Parliament Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ihcah and Mucahit Daloglu, Erzurum Governor Celalettin Güvenc, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Kucukler, Atatürk University President Prof. Dr. Yasar Sutbeyaz, Erzurum Province Youth and Sports Director Fatih Cintimar, Erzurum Chamber of Commerce and Industry Assembly Member Fuat Kulacoglu and representatives of other organizations involved including the Chairman of the Turkish National Olympic Committee Togay Bayatli, the Chairman of the Turkish University Sports Federation Prof. Dr. Kemal Tamer, the General Secretary of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Cengiz Ersun, the Chairman of the Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau Yilmaz Tecmen, ICVB General Manager Handan Boyce, ICVB Marketing and Sales Manager Elif Balci Fisunoglu and WordSmith Advertising Managing Director Beau Higgins, were present at the meeting on the 10th of January where the presentation for Erzurum's bid to host the 24th Winter Universiade was made by ICVB General Manager Handan Boyce.

The promotional materials, including a fair stand, brochure, bid book and posters created by Word Smith Advertising In cooperation with ICVB and the client in Erzurum were well-received by the members of the F.I.S.U. Board, earning numerous compliments. However, despite effective promotion on the part of Erzurum and Palandöken, the right to host the 24th Winter Universiade went to the Chinese city of Harbin, which has a long history of organizing international winter sports events as well as extensive winter sports infrastructure. The Erzurum Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports has already begun preparations for Erzurum's candidacy to host the 25'b Winter Universiade in 2011.