Olympic Games in Monheim am Rhein

On February 10, the City Council of Monheim am Rhein approved holding a city council–initiated referendum. This means that residents can vote until April 19 on whether Monheim am Rhein should take part, together with 17 other cities in the Cologne–Rhine-Ruhr region, in a bid to host the Olympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044.

For the referendum, the city will send the voting documents to households by post in mid-March. Residents will then have until April 19 to answer the following yes-or-no question:

“Are you in favour of the City of Monheim am Rhein participating in the joint bid by the Rhine-Ruhr region to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044?”

The completed ballot must arrive at City Hall by April 19. The votes will then be counted.

All EU citizens aged 16 and over who have lived in one of the participating municipalities for at least three months are eligible to vote. For the result to be valid in Monheim am Rhein, at least 20 percent of eligible voters must take part.

If a majority votes "Yes”, Monheim am Rhein will join the other municipalities in submitting a joint bid to host the Games.

There is considerable competition. In Germany, the cities of Munich, Hamburg and Berlin are also preparing bids to host the Olympic Games. On September 26, the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) will decide which German candidate city or region will enter the international bidding process for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Games.

By bidding for three possible editions of the Games, the DOSB aims to increase Germany’s chances of hosting the Olympics. The last Olympic Games held in Germany took place in Munich in 1972.

Monheim am Rhein would be the venue for all skateboarding competitions. [external]To this end, a skatepark meeting Olympic standards would be built at Am Kielsgraben.

If the region were to host the Olympics, the city could receive funding for the construction of a skatepark. This would allow the skatepark to be built as planned, despite the tight budget. Furthermore, other infrastructure and digitization projects would likely be accelerated as a result of the city’s participation.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the world’s largest sporting event, attracting around 15,000 athletes from approximately 200 nations every four years. The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris have demonstrated that this event can be organized in a sustainable manner and not only promotes athletic excellence but also contributes to international understanding and tolerance.

By submitting a bid, the city of Monheim am Rhein has a historic opportunity to become a host city for the world’s largest sporting event – an event that, despite all the athletic competition, has also made a significant contribution to international understanding for centuries. A unique chance to meet the needs of the future through joint projects and investments, particularly in infrastructure. Take Paris as an example: even two years after the Games, people there are still benefiting from a total of more than 180 kilometers of newly created bike paths.

The City Council is almost unanimous in supporting Monheim am Rhein’s participation in the Cologne–Rhine-Ruhr region’s bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games. The Mayor also supports the bid. 

The planned skate facility at Am Kielsgraben would make it possible to host regular activities for different target groups – from smaller and larger competitions to national and international contests. Large sections of the Monheim skatepark are planned as freely accessible spaces for physical activity for children, young people and adults of all ages. The facility would expand the city’s existing sports and leisure offerings by adding a modern urban sport.

With no club membership required and low barriers to participation, the Olympic-standard facility would encourage regular physical activity, social interaction and active leisure.

The skatepark could be used for various wheeled sports, including skateboarding, BMX and stunt scooters. From the earliest planning stages, WCMX (Wheelchair Motocross) has also been considered as an inclusive wheeled sport discipline. This would enable people with disabilities to use the skatepark on equal terms and would set a visible example of inclusion in public spaces.

Hosting a major sporting event like the Olympic and Paralympic Games creates new jobs both in sports and in other sectors of society. In Paris, for example, around 181,000 new jobs were created in areas such as construction, event organization and tourism.

In addition, millions of people from around the world travel to the host region during the Games. Their spending boosts tourism, retail and the hospitality sector, leading to short- to medium-term economic effects.

During the Olympic and Paralympic Games, global attention is focused on the host city for several weeks, and in Monheim’s case, on an entire region. The positive images and emotions generated by the sporting competitions are broadcast around the world and can significantly enhance the region’s international profile. This can also have long-term effects on trade fairs, commerce and local businesses.

The referendum will be conducted exclusively by postal vote. Residents of the City of Monheim am Rhein will automatically receive all required documents by mail; no application is necessary.

The completed ballot must be placed in the separate blue ballot envelope. This envelope is important to ensure the secrecy of the vote. The sealed blue ballot envelope, together with the declaration in lieu of an oath confirming that the vote was cast correctly, must then be placed in the red return envelope.

If you have questions about the voting process, you can contact the information hotline at +49 2173 951 3131.