PRESS RELEASE 2024-03-22

THE ORGANIZER OF THE GOTLAND GRAND NATIONAL NORDIC SPORT & EVENT WILL BE NOTIFIED TODAY, FRIDAY 22 MARCH AT 2:00 PM BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT GGN HAS A SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

Nordic Sport & Event is expected today at a meeting with the Gotland County Board to be informed after 7 months of work that the organizer needs to continue working on environmental and nature issues to organize GGN 2.0 in Hejdeby on Gotland.

DECISION ON SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT (BMP)
The County Administrative Board has now decided that the Gotland Grand National has a significant environmental impact when you want to carry out the GGN in Hejdeby. The continued process going forward is that the organizer now continues the work of investigating how the competition affects the area in the short and long term. The next step now is that there will be a delimitation consultation.

Delimitation consultations must take place with the County Administrative Board, the supervisory authority, and the individuals who may be assumed to be particularly affected. The delimitation consultation must also be carried out with other government authorities, municipalities, and others who can be assumed to be affected by the activity.

NORDIC SPORT & EVENT NOW LOOKS FORWARD, AND GGN 2.0 HAS GREAT OPPORTUNITIES IN HEJDEBY!
The background to GGN having to change the competition arena is that the Gotland Armed Forces notified the organizer Nordic Sport & Event on August 28, 2023, that GGN cannot continue to be held at the Tofta shooting range after 40 years in a row.

–  This does not come as an immediate surprise to our organization. This is precisely why we have already put time and resources into the voluntary investigations already carried out in the area as a preventive measure. This now means that we have gained a lot of time before the continued work, says Conny Bohlin, CEO of Nordic Sport & Event.

– We have now come so far in the work to secure GGN 2.0 to Hejdeby, which means that we continue with our investments in time and money in what the County Administrative Board wants us to supplement with based on today’s meeting.

– We expect to invest around 1 – 1.5 million extra in track, arena, etc. in addition to the approx. 5 million GGN costs each year in building the infrastructure in the area. The investigations have so far cost around SEK 200,000 excluding VAT, and now we have to push for additional funds before the big work can start, says Conny Bohlin further.

MEASURES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN IN WORKING WITH GGN 2.0 IN HEJDEBY.

· Professor and environmental expert Nils Ryrholm was hired early on to assist us in the work.

· The consulting company SWECO was hired to map the area and build a course based on the known environmental and natural values in the area.

· SWECO has also taken soil and soil samples for preventive purposes where there may be contaminated soil. (reply awaited)

· Archaeologists from the Gotlands Museum have mapped ancient remains in the area and stated that there is no better place than Hejdeby to run GGN.

· 20 landowners have already agreed to GGN in the area.

· Other property owners near the arena itself have approved GGN in the area and have also agreed to move their horses during the two competition days.

· We have received a decision from the County Board that we can close County Road 147 (Slitevägen) for two days.

– GGN means so much to so many and we are doing everything to keep the event on Gotland. We must take our responsibility for environmental and nature issues as GGN will run for many more years on the island, therefore we understand that the additions are needed, concludes Conny Bohlin.

THE PROCESS FORWARD AFTER THE DECISION ON SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
10 §  of the Environmental Assessment Ordinance describes what must be taken into account in the assessment of whether an activity or measure entails a significant environmental impact. According to section 6§ ch. 3, an authority or a municipality that draws up or changes a plan or a program required by law or other constitution must carry out a strategic environmental assessment on the implementation of the plan, the program or change can be assumed to cause a significant environmental impact.

For further information and questions, contact: (IN MEETING Friday 22/3 14:00 WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT)
Conny Bohlin
CEO Nordic Sport & Event
0708 – 249494

FACTS GOTLAND GRAND NATIONAL
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: Over 3,400 from 15 nations
GUEST NIGHTS: 28,000
BUSINESS REVENUE: SEK 100,000,000/year.
COMPENSATION ASSOCIATION LIFE: SEK 800,000/year
VIEWERS SVT SPORT: 800,000 (over 5 hours live Broadcast)