Ambitious plans of Moscow City and FIDE
Moscow City authorities are evaluating a project of establishing a network of children, youth and family leisure cafes in the Russian capitol. Thematic chess cafes, sized around 200-250 square meters, are planned for a couple of locations in the city centre. Some of the first drafts are considering interior with wooden furniture, chessboards built in tables and plasma screens. Such cafes should be venues for tournaments, seminars and other demonstration activities. (News by RIA Novosti)
Assistant of the FIDE President, Berik Balgabaev, led the FIDE inspection of two proposed locations for the future chess center in Nizhny Novgorod – in the park Kulibina near Gorky Street and at Pochainsky Ovrag opposite to Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.
The complex of 2000 square meters on two levels should include a hotel, conference hall, playing halls and Internet cafes. The investment is worth between 5 and 10 million dollars and construction works should take about twelve months.
FIDE is already building a smaller Chess Academy in Yekaterinburg (to be completed in 2009), which is projected only for instruction and schooling. The Nizhny building will be capable of hosting chess tournaments, which is currently not possible in the city without facilities for more than 100 players.
News by Vedomosti
