Amsterdam, 26 July 2012: Heineken® today officially opened the doors of Holland Heineken House to the public for the eleventh consecutive Olympic Games with a traditional nod to its London setting with a colorful Dutch twist.
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and her husband Michel de Carvalho, himself a triple Winter Olympian, and senior members from HEINEKEN and the Netherlands Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) were joined at Alexandra Palace by a traditional English Beefeater and a Town Crier to officially open the venue, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
Holland Heineken House has been the official home to the Dutch NOC*NSF during each Olympic Games since Barcelona in 1992. Former Olympic champion Ellen van Langen, who was the first Dutch athlete to celebrate her gold medal success at Holland Heineken House after winning the 800m in Barcelona, also attended the official opening ceremony.
Alongside Mrs. de Carvalho-Heineken, Ms. van Langen handed over the symbolic key to the doors of Alexandra Palace to the chairman of the NOC*NSF André Bolhuis. The guests were greeted on the traditionally orange carpet by more than 200 Holland Heineken House volunteer crew members dressed in specially designed Holland Heineken House outfits.
Staged at the spectacular Alexandra Palace for the duration of the Summer Games, sports enthusiasts will be able visit the Holland Heineken House and celebrate throughout the Games with the Dutch athletes.
Entertainment inside the Holland Heineken House will be wide and varied and will include sports activities, bars and restaurants and appearances by top DJs and performers from The Netherlands. A large hall will house the medal ceremonies for athletes as well as live entertainment and the opening and closing ceremonies. All live sporting action will be shown on large screens throughout the venue. Retail outlets will sell NOC*NSF and Holland Heineken House-branded merchandise. In addition, visitors will also have the opportunity to participate in other fun activities organized by co-sponsors.
Hans Erik Tuijt, HEINEKEN's Global Sponsorship Director, said, "It is with immense pride that we once again organise the Holland Heineken House both for the Netherlands Olympic Committee but also for sports fans from around the world to come and celebrate the Games with us. Alexandra Palace is a stunning venue and we are very well placed to deliver the most memorable Holland Heineken House yet."
André Bolhuis, Head of the NOC*NSF, commented, "We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Heineken once again and London 2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of Holland Heineken House. We are sure that this year's edition will be the best yet and we look forward to welcoming our loyal supporters as well as making new friends from all over the world."
Tickets are now available online for UK and international visitors to join the famous Heineken party, opening today and running throughout the London 2012 period.
Tickets cost € 12.50 each (including handling fee) and must be booked in advance online at
www.hollandheinekenhouse.nl
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Notes to Editors
About Holland Heineken House
Holland Heineken House is the traditional meeting place for the various echelons of the Dutch sports world during the Olympic Games. It is the official, national house of the Netherlands where NOC*NSF (Netherlands Olympic Committee) is the host and where HEINEKEN Netherlands facilitates and organises the event. Holland Heineken House started during Barcelona 1992 and London 2012 will be the 11th edition in a row and where it will celebrate its 20th-year anniversary. The Holland Heineken House is based in Alexandra Palace in North London during the Olympic Summer Games of 2012. Holland Heineken House is open from Thursday July 26 (from 04:00 PM) until Sunday August 12, 2012. Opening hours are from 10.30 AM to 01.30 AM every day. On August 12, the national house will close immediately after the closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games. In order to visit the Holland Heineken House you need to have a valid admission ticket and an ID. Due to laws and regulations you have to be 18 years or older to visit the Holland Heineken House after 08.00 PM. For more information: www.hollandheinekenhouse.nl
Photo caption
(From left to right) Michel de Carvalho, former Dutch Olympic Gold Medallist Ellen van Langen and Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken hand over the key to Holland Heineken House to the Chairman of the Dutch NOC*NSF André Bolhuis.
About Heineken®
Sold in almost every country in the world, Heineken is the world's leading premium beer brand. Additional information is available on www.heineken.com and www.heinekeninternational.com.
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