The German federal government and regional authorities signed financial and other guarantees required for Munich’s bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Munich’s bid was of “national interest” and will continue to receive support despite a group of 59 landowners saying they wouldn’t give up their land for Olympic venues.

The guarantees are part of the official bid books that Munich has to present to the International Olympic Council by 11 January.

The list of 47 guarantees covers infrastructure projects, such as building Olympic villages, as well as giving the IOC special marketing rights and observing anti-doping laws.

The government also backed staging the ice events in Munich and skiing events around Garmisch-Partenkirchen, about 90 minutes away by train.

On Tuesday, a group of 59 Bavarian farmers and landowners said it would refuse to turn over land for Alpine ski races and demanded Munich drop its bid for the games.

The state government, however, said most of the group’s land is not included in the plans, while a German Olympic official said the refusal will not affect the bid.

A lawyer for the group said without the farmers’ permission, the course for the showcase downhill event would need to be altered.

Munich is competing for the 2018 games with Annecy, France; and Pyeongchang, South Korea. The IOC will select the host city on 6 July in Durban, South Africa.