In July 2007, Chingiz Huseynzade, chairman of Azerbaijan's National Olympic Committee, told a press conference that a group of economists was working on this issue.

The city had become somewhat run down following the chaotic period during which independent Azerbaijan emerged from the former Soviet Union but has been experiencing massive development since a new oil-boom began around 2003.

As a city in the crossroads between East and West, Huseynzade suggested that the theme of the games might be "making a better connection between East and West"[3] In November 2007, the Azerbaijan Organizing Committee established its bid committee, installing first vice premier Yagub Eyubov as head.

To ensure quick turnaround, Sports Minister Azad Ragimov appointed the Caspian American Group to prepare the bid book with the assistance of the government.

Currently, many of Baku’s downtown seaside esplanades are overshadowed by sprawling docks, freight containers, and loading cranes.

Baku revealed plans to build 15 new and 8 temporary structures in four clusters, including a US$254 million Olympic Stadium.

The logo depicts petroglyph images from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gobustan Rock Plateau, which features the remains of settlements and burials reflecting ancient human culture.

[11] Concerns centered on infrastructure, budget of the games (which can inflate easily), and the close proximity of Baku to the European city of Sochi, Russia, which hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Other points included practically no sports facilities meeting global standards, the underdeveloped tourist sector, and regional conflicts.