European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amps photos by Gus Schuettler olympic class anxiety in Norway the Little Tram station in Lillehammer Norway is expected to be a lot busier in 1994. By Ron Jensen staff writer he head waiter at one of the few restaurants in Lillehammer Norway winces when asked about his town s selection to Host the 1994 Winter olympics. Quot i have my doubts Quot he says. A hotel receptionist covers her eyes to answer the same question Quot i Don t want to think about  the 22,000 residents of Lillehammer about 100 Miles Northwest of Oslo can think of Little else however. They will be at the Center of the world when the olympic games come to town in february 1994. Tens of thousands of spectators and Media people will invade the town each Day of the two week event. Lillehammer will be an International television Star. Any doubts Are understandable. Before the olympic Torch can be lit there is a herculean task to Complete. A ski jump skating rink hockey Arena bobsled run and the signs Are out for the olympics above a Vendor Hawks a to shirt at left a poster outside town. Other facilities must be built. Hotels and restaurants must be added. Quot most of the projects have to be built from the Bottom up Quot says Svein Strumstad project manager for the Lillehammer olympic organizing committee. Quot the Only thing we have is nature and the  Lillehammer is at the base of a Mountain Range on the Northern Edge of Norway s largest Lake. It s a Winter and summer resort area attracting tourists from Many lands. During some Winter weekends its population swells to 40,000. Geography and Good intentions were enough to convince the International olympic committee to select Lillehammer to Host the games. The City won Over Anchorage Alaska Sofia Bulgaria and two cities in Sweden. Quot everyone was laughing at first. They thought it was a wild idea Quot says Strumstad. Frode Nielsen also with the local organizing committee says the push started when a town in Sweden lost a bid to Host the 1988 Winter olympics which went to Calgary Alberta. A norwegian associated with the nation s olympic committee said at the time that the Only scandinavian town that could hold the Winter olympics was Lillehammer. Quot at that time nobody in this area thought that was possible Quot Nielsen said. But a group of businessmen was intrigued by the idea and began to plan in secret gathering the figures to see if it was feasible. When the group went Public with its proposal the mayor told them Quot you Are crazy Quot an attitude shared by Many in the area. Quot i Don t think they feel it s crazy any longer Quot Strumstad says. A i think the whole nation is now saying yes to the olympics. I think everyone realizes we have to work for it not against  the 1994 olympics will come Only two years after the 1992 event in Albertville France a two year separation instead of the usual four years. The Ioc has adjusted the schedule so summer and Winter games won occur in the same year. Quot it was hard to put together two games in one year a says Michele Verdier director of information for the Ioc in Lausanne Switzerland. Quot every two years you will now have either a summer or Winter  before there can be the 1994 games much work must be done in Lillehammer a pending funding from the parliament. A vote is expected after easter on the committee s request for slightly More than $1 billion. Nielsen says the major political parties and the prime minister support the project so a positive vote is expected. They can build All they want but the Winter olympics demand Snow. Northern Europe is just Page 16 a a a the stars and stripes sunday March 25,1990