Swiss businesses see ups and downs from Euros

There are clear winners and losers emerging as Swiss cities and traders seek to profit from the business of co-hosting the European Championship.

Officials in the capital city of Bern will set up a third giant TV screen to cope with an expected invasion of Dutch football fans later this week.

Around 25,000 people turned the federal parliament square into a joyous sea of orange Monday evening to watch a free public screening of the Netherlands beating Italy 3-0 at the nearby Stade de Suisse. A second broadcast in the city's Waisenhausplatz was also packed.

Bern mayor Alexander Tschaeppaet said Wednesday that various options were looked at to welcome the arrival of even more Dutch supporters for Friday's game against France. Tens of thousands of people with almost no chance of getting into the stadium are expected to descend on Bern hoping to be part of the tournament fervor.

This is exactly what Swiss authorities were hoping for after seeing the success of public viewings in fan zones at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

City officials said they will decide Thursday where in the city center to place the third 581 square-foot screen.

While Bern copes with Euro 2008 demand that is bigger than expected, businesses at the official camp site in Geneva say they are struggling.

Food stall operators were meeting Wednesday to decide whether to strike because the promised crowds have not shown up to see matches broadcast on a big screen, or to see free nightly concerts.

They say they paid $35,000 to take a restaurant spot for three weeks at the official Fan Village, and were told by organizers to expect 20,000 visitors each day. Persistent rain at the camp site — known locally as Bout-du-Monde, or end of the world — has turned parts of the grounds next to the river Arve into a muddy mess.

The mood was not helped when two Polish visitors short-circuited the camp site electric supply while trying to recharge a camera.

The Geneva production company responsible for soccer-related shows has promised more publicity for the fan village, which is serviced by free shuttle buses from the 60,000-capacity fan zone closer to the city center, and to install children's entertainment to attract families.

In the picturesque city of Locarno near the Swiss-Italian border, traders say their usual customers are staying away during the tournament. Spokesman Bruno Arienti said soccer fans were not interested in shopping and the business situation was "almost catastrophic."