Required sponsorships have gone up from an expected 200 million rupees to 300 million, following unplanned expenses to upgrade the Sugathadasa Stadium.
We have raised about 180 million rupees in cash and kind, but due to escalation of costs to upgrade the Sugathadasa Stadium, we have to now raise about 300 million rupees through sponsorships, Hemasiri Fernando, President of the National Olympic Committee, told LBO on Thursday.
The organising committee has spent between 70 and 80 million rupees on the stadium, which was not earlier factored into estimates.
About 30 public sector organisations and private companies have been called together for a meeting to try and stir up some goodwill and another 100 million rupees.
We are hoping to raise some funds through this meeting or as a last resort we will have to go back to the Treasury, Fernando said.
Sri Lanka’s tab for the entire event is likely to add up to 950 million rupees, with the Treasury forking out 715 milli