The Khanh Hoa province vice leader said Wednesday that he was confident Vietnamese organizers would meet the Miss Universe pageant’s requirements and host the 2008 competition.Miss Universe chairwoman Paula Mary Shugart has said that only once the government has approved the project and local organizers have proved their ability to meet budget and facility requirements would the panel officially sign a contract to hold the event in Vietnam.
The competition requires a US$15 million dollar investment including a new concert hall. Khanh Hoa officials and organizers are planning to hold the event in Nha Trang, Vietnam’s most popular beach destination.
Vice chairman of Khanh Hoa’s People’s Committee Le Xuan said that Hoan Vu Corp., Miss Universe’s Vietnamese organizing partner, plans to build a new 7,500-seat theater and would begin construction as soon as the central government ratified its proposal.
Than also said that government funds would not be spent on the event, but according to Hoan Vu Corp., the firm will be able to cover the cost of the show.
Than also said the province was upgrading Cam Ranh Airport to facilitate international flights while improving accommodation standards around Nha Trang to welcome the large number of visitors expected to flood the beach town for the pageant.
Authorities from the south-central province will now have to submit a report to the Government Office and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for the project’s approval.
Several critics of the controversial plan have said that it would be a great waste of money to spend millions of dollars on a beauty contest while the country is still needs funds for development.
Holding such an event is never financially simple, according to Shane St. Michael, a member of the 2005 Miss Universe organizing board in Thailand.
“Although it [the event] was partly subsidized by the government, we still suffered a $1 million loss,” he said.
Source: Thanhnien News.com
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