Russia's second largest city had previously bid for the 2004 Games, but failed to make it into the five short listed finalists. Now St. Petersburg is planning to bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2020.
St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko says she'll improve the city's infrastructure and is sure the next bid will be a success. “First of all, we are all happy for the triumph of Russia in having been granted the right to host the 2014 winter Olympics. But our ambitions are much bigger and we are not going to stop there. St. Petersburg is not only attractive for business but is a cultural centre, a UNESCO city. It has given the world a number of champions as well. The city has a well-developed infrastructure, and has bid before for the Summer Games. So naturally we are interested in hosting the Olympics here. We have great experience of hosting big international events like the Goodwill Games and the G8,” Valentina Matvienko stated.