Azernews.Az

BAKU – A new concert hall may be built in Baku to host the Eurovision song contest in 2012, an Azerbaijani official has said.

Azad Rahimov, Youth and Sports Minister, said three options were being considered as venues for Eurovision 2012. One of them is Heydar Aliyev Sports and Concert Complex. The newly renovated facility has 7,800 seats and about 1,000 more could be provided for the viewers, the minister said.

He said another alternative is the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium. "After covering up the stadium and some repair work, holding the contest there is possible as well."

Rahimov said, however, that "the main and most interesting project" would be building a major concert hall in the Flag Square located in the seaside park downtown Baku.

"If built based on a module system, construction of this facility could be completed by the contest," he added.

The Azerbaijani duo, Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, known as Ell and Nikki, sealed an impressive win at the Eurovision song contest last Saturday, for the first time in the over five decade-long history of the annual pop extravaganza. Ell and Nikki’s "Running Scared" song won with a 32-point lead, gaining a total of 221 points. Their victory at the 56th Eurovision contest held in Dusseldorf, Germany makes Azerbaijan the Eurovision host next year.