KLOSTER BANZ, Germany, July 13 (Reuters) - Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) party called on Thursday for the German government to help pay for the redevelopment of Munich's Olympic Stadium, which will host the opening game of the 2006 World Cup.
The Bavarians want state money to renovate the Munich
stadium because the government has promised 100 million marks
(£32million) towards a 530 million marks (£169million) facelift for Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which will host
the final game of the 2006 tournament.
The conservative CSU made their call at a party meeting in
the Frankonian town of Kloster Banz, deep in northern Bavaria,
highlighting the intense rivalry between the southern state and
the capital Berlin which is situated in what was once Prussia.
The Olympic Stadium in the Bavarian capital, home to the
Bundesliga's 1860 Munich and Bayern Munich, is being transformed
from a general sporting venue into a football-only arena at a
cost of 385 million marks (£123million).
Munich's Olympic stadium was built for the 1972 Olympics and
was the venue where Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 in a
memorable World Cup final in 1974.
Berlin's stadium was built by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympic
Games and is home to the Bundesliga's Hertha Berlin.
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