building the games

🎧Audio version

Winning the right to host the Olympics was just the beginning. In less than six years, Sarajevo had to transform itself from a city with modest winter sports facilities into a world-class Olympic destination. This massive undertaking involved not just constructing venues like the bobsled track you see today, but upgrading the entire city with a speed and unity that captured the world’s attention. It was a race against time, fueled by a collective spirit that reached across Yugoslavia and beyond.

A City Transformed

The scale of the project was enormous. Planners identified 163 major projects that needed to be completed before the opening ceremony. This wasn't just about building stadiums. The city laid or reconstructed over 160 kilometers (100 miles) of roads, installed nearly 50,000 kilometers of new underground telephone cables, and built entire new neighborhoods like the Olympic Village in Mojmilo and the Press Village in Dobrinja, which together contained thousands of new apartments.

Amazingly, the work was done with remarkable efficiency. International sports officials, who made over 60 visits to inspect the progress, were delighted. All the sports venues were completed a full year ahead of the Games, allowing for test competitions to be held throughout 1983. The President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, praised the organizers, noting it was rare for a host city to be so well-prepared so far in advance.

Built by the People

This incredible transformation was a true collective effort, powered by the citizens themselves. In a referendum, an overwhelming 96% of voters approved higher taxes to help fund the Games. The support became even more personal. Throughout Yugoslavia, more than 1.2 million people and 4,500 companies made personal donations. Workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina voluntarily contributed 0.2% of their monthly salaries, while those in Sarajevo contributed 0.3%, directly funding the dream.

Perhaps the most inspiring contribution came from the youth. Thousands of young people participated in voluntary work actions (omladinske radne akcije). They came not just from every corner of Yugoslavia but from across the world. In a delightful, lesser-known detail, volunteers from Europe, Asia, and Africa worked side-by-side with local youth, digging trenches for the bobsled track, clearing ski runs, and helping build the city’s infrastructure.

Price Tag for a Dream

The financial investment was immense. Building the sports venues cost the equivalent of €133 million in today's terms, while the crucial city-wide infrastructure—from roads to communication networks—required an even larger investment of €160 million.

Of all the new venues, the most expensive was the Zetra Olympic Hall, built for figure skating and ice hockey, which cost around €22 million in today's money. In comparison, this combined bobsled and luge track—a marvel of engineering in its own right—cost about €13 million. It was a price tag for a dream, but one that Sarajevo, and all of Yugoslavia, built together with pride and passion.