Following a number of Swiss cities declaring their interest in hosting Eurovision 2025, the deputy mayor of Lugano has said to media that his city will not submit a bid to become the next host city.
It is not because of a lack of interest that Lugano will not attempt to host. According to Deputy Mayor Roberto Badaracco, the city and its surrounding area lack the necessary space:
It would be nice to come back to Ticino again. Clearly, aspirations are confronted with reality, that of Lugano but also of the entire canton. We unfortunately do not have structures capable of accommodating up to 15.000 spectators. There is the LAC, the Palazzo dei Congressi, the Corner Arena, even the congress centre, but they will never reach certain numbers.
The stadium in Lugano could hold up to 10.000 visitors, but, as it currently has no roof, it would have to be specially renovated – which is not a realistic option for the city. Besides the size of the Eurovision venue, the region would also have to accommodate a large number of visitors, which means they would need sufficient hotels, restaurants, and transport options. Deputy Mayor Badaracco calls it a pity for his region:
Surely an event with such a resonance would have had a great impact, also in terms of visibility, for our territory. But unfortunately I think it will be difficult.
Other cities in Switzerland have already expressed their interest, and will be able to host such high numbers of visitors: first was Geneva, which appears to be the favourite at the moment. Zurich and Basel have also declared their interest in hosting Eurovision 2025. In addition, Liechtenstein has proposed to collaborate with the Swiss city of St. Gallen on a joint bid.
Lugano was the first city to ever host Eurovision, in 1956 in the Teatro Kursaal (now known as the Casinò Lugano). In 1989, Lausanne hosted Eurovision in the Palais de Beaulieu (part of the city’s convention centre), following the victory of Céline Dion.
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