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Post Any News; Details And articles pertaning to the 2 cities and there bids.

BID PROFILE AND FACT SHEET - 2016 SUMMER OLYMPIC BIDS


Bid: 2016 Summer Olympics

When IOC Chooses Winner: October 2009 - Copenhagen, Denmark.

Bid Status: Applications are due into the IOC September 15, 2007..

2016 Bid Timeline: TBA

Bid Documents: TBA

2016 Bid Timeline Dates set by bid committees and IOC


February 8, 2006 Copenhagen, Denmark selected as host city for 2009 Olympic Congress and final 2016 bid vote
May 8-18, 2006 US Olympic Committee visits mayors of Houston (May 8), Philadelphia (May 9), Chicago (May 10), Los Angeles (May 18) and San Francisco (May 18) for 2 hour assessment meetings
July 26, 2006 US Olympic Committee narrows nomination short list to Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. USOC still hasn't decided whether to bid.
August 30, 2006 Japan Olympic Committee nominated Tokyo over Fukuoka for 2016 Bid
September 1, 2006 Brazil's Olympic Committee nominates Rio de Janeiro for 2016 Bid
March, 2007 If it decides to nominate a bid, the USOC will make its final selection based on presentations and bid books.

October, 2009 FINAL 2016 VOTE - Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark


Potential 2016 Bid Cities (in planning stages):

Argentina (Announced Argentina's Vice President on May 28, 2006)
Chile (Announced Chile's NOC President on October 15, 2002)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (According to March 1, 2004 Report)
Hamburg or Berlin, Germany (According to February 17, 2004 Mayor's Announcement)
India (GamesBids.com Reports December 3, 2005)
Tokyo, Japan (JOC announces May 19, 2005)
Kenya (GamesBids.com Reports January 12, 2005)
Madrid, Spain (Announced it will try again after 2012 loss)
Monterrey, Mexico (Reports)
Montreal, Canada (Mayor Announces July 31, 2005)
Netherlands (Reported May 20, 2006)
Portugal (GamesBids.com Reports January 7, 2004)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (GamesBids.com Reports September 1, 2006)
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Under investigation)
St. Petersburg, Russia (According to Vice Governor, December 29, 2003)
Tel Aviv, Israel (conducting feasibility study, admits challenges.)
Thailand (According to September 15, 2004 Report)
United States (Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco on short-list) Chicago 2016


Cancelled 2016 Bid Cities:

Baltimore, USA
Brussels or Flanders, Belgium (Prime Minister announced September 17, 2003)
Fukuoka, Japan
San FRANCISCO, usa
San Diego USA, Tijuana Mexico
Moscow, Russia (After 2012 loss, opted out for 2016)
Rome, Italy Proposed bid was withdrawn by Mayor July 11, 2006 - "not enough political backing"
Sapporo, Japan (Report February 18, 2006)

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Chicago 2016 Gets New Plan
Posted 12:43 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

Planners of Chicago’s bid to become the U.S. candidate to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games announced that they have shifted from their two-stadium plan to only one – a temporary 80,000-seat structure as the venue for both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and the track and field competition.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the decision to drop the original plan was made after an August 9 meeting with U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) officials.

On advice from USOC officials that the dual-ceremony idea would not fly internationally, and the realization that Soldier Field was unsuitable even as a single-ceremonial venue with track and some soccer matches in the temporary Olympic stadium because its seating capacity and field size are insufficient and would need costly renovation, the Chicago Tribune reports the plan was revised.

Patrick Ryan, chair of the city’s bid told the newspaper, “we’re not giving up on the idea of using Soldier Field, even if it cannot be for ceremonies or track. It might be as a light venue – a place where people can come to watch the ceremonies on jumbotrons and be entertained in other ways”.

He said Chicago’s bid will continue even if Mayor Richard Daley does not run for re-election next year. The USOC has said Daley’s presence was a major asset to the bid.

Ryan said, “I’m not speaking for the mayor, but I don’t expect that to happen”.
http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1155919429

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USOC Has “Cordial” Meeting With Los Angeles 2016
Posted 3:24 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

Members of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) had a 2-1/2 hour meeting with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and key members of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games Friday critiquing the city’s facilities and finances should the city be selected the U.S. candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

Barry Sanders, head of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games said, “we had a very cordial meeting and a good constructive working session. We feel committed to going forward and we’re excited. We anticipate proceeding right up to the point that they tell us no”.

The USOC met earlier this week with representatives from Chicago and San Francisco.

Sanders declined to discuss what the delegation said, but he did say the USOC considers L.A.’s bid the most complete because the region already has most of the modern sports facilities required. He added, “they have said publicly that our bid was highly professional, and they still believe that”.

Los Angeles hosted the Olympics in 1932 and l984.

Bob Ctvrtlik, USOC vice president for international relations added that whatever the committee offered will remain secret for now. He did say the committee recommended “some reconfiguring of venues” and would take into account distances between venues and the Olympic Village, public transportation and travel times.

He said L.A. has an impressive array of new and existing venues, as do the other cities. We’ll have to see how they configure them in their bid”.

Mayor Villaraigosa said in a statement, “we would want nothing more than to set the stage of individuals from all over the world to showcase their talents and abilities. And after today’s meeting, we still remain very hopeful that is a possibility. This meeting was another step in the process in our quest to (be the) host city of the 2016 Games”.

Darryl Ryan, a spokesman for the Mayor, said the city showcased plans to renovate the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum if it can attract an NFL team. A renovated Coliseum would be ready to accommodate up to 95,000 spectators by 2009, said Ryan.

http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1155410658

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San Francisco Could Pull Out Of 2016 Bid
Posted 1:34 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

Following on what was called a “candid” meeting with U.S. Olympic officials Thursday, San Francisco’s Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city could pull out if its bid to become the U.S. candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games if it can’t deliver on its promises.

He said, “two months from now, if we’re not able to guarantee certain things”, San Francisco won’t pursue the Games. “We’ll have real clarity in the next month whether we can deliver”.

According to the Mercury News the Mayor gave the strongest indications to date of the deficiencies San Francisco needs to overcome to win the bid. Newsom said, “there is a growing feeling that NFL stadiums are not the best Opening and Closing venues”. Although the Bay Area has 83 per cent of its venues in place, it needs an Olympic stadium for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, a world-class track and field facility and perhaps an aquatic centre.

Newsom said the USOC representatives expressed concern as to whether the stadium at Candlestick Point would have enough seats to host a major event such as the Olympics, and whether the facility and other sites in the city’s bid would be finished in time.

Newsom said, “either the city can or cannot perform. We want to make sure they have confidence in us and we have confidence in the process…whether we can deliver on their expectations. And there is a chance we might not be able to do that”.

The USOC team also questioned the adequacy of the Bay Area’s transportation system and whether the Golden Gate Bridge and other significant landmarks made the region especially susceptible to a terrorist attack.

Scott Givens, managing director of the committee overseeing San Francisco’s bid to host the 2016 Games, said that after sitting through the three-hour meeting he was “supremely confident we can answer the questions of the USOC and present a very good case for the San Francisco Bay area.

The Mayor said that during Thursday’s talks there were “some adjustments that we’re committing to”.

The committee raised questions about how the city can accommodate track and field events, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and said that any decision by the San Francisco 49ers about how to move ahead with constructing a new stadium would run “parallel” to the city’s efforts to polish its Olympic bid.

The decision on who will host the 2016 Summer Games is 10 years away and Newsom said it was the USOC’s timeline that might force a decision for the city to bow out of the competition. The USOC said it will decide by the end of March if it will choose a city to compete internationally for the 2016 Games.

Newsom said, “I don’t want to lead the USOC on, that San Francisco can deliver a Games if we feel there’s some risk”.

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*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_2016_Olympic_Bid
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_2016_Olympic_bid

Could members help expand the wiki entry please!

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Los Angeles to host 2009 world championships Tue Sep 19, 2:43 PM ET



LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles will host the 2009 world figure skating championships, the International Skating Union announced on Tuesday.



The March 23-29 event at the Staples Center will determine the number of skaters each country can send to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

"There are so many great skaters coming from the L.A. area, so I think the community will really embrace the event," said 2006 Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen in a statement.

"Plus, it's always great to get a worlds in our own country, especially right before the Olympics. It will make the event just that much more huge."

Los Angeles was selected over Helsinki, Finland, and Budapest, Hungary.The Staples Center is the home of the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings and the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.

"I'm so pumped to compete for the world title in my adopted hometown of L.A.," twice world bronze medallist Evan Lysacek said. "No place can throw a party like L.A."
The event will mark the 12th time the United States has hosted skating's world championships, the last time being in Washington, D.C., in 2003.

(Writing by Steve Ginsburg in Washington)

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Change in plans for Chicago Olympics bid

By Kathy Bergen, Philip Hersh and Gary Washburn
Tribune staff reporters
Published September 20, 2006, 10:20 PM CDT

A 2016 Summer Olympics in Chicago would spread beyond the downtown lakefront to include a temporary 95,000-seat stadium in a historic South Side park under a dramatically revised plan unveiled Wednesday.

Washington Park, a 350-acre expanse designed by legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his partner Calvert Vaux, would be the site of the temporary stadium for opening and closing ceremonies and track and field events.

After the Olympics, the privately financed facility would be converted to a below-ground, oval 10,000-seat stadium that could be used for track-and-field events, as well as an amphitheater for community events.

"The Olympic Games will help revitalize Washington Park ... and generate new jobs in tourism, retailing and other areas of the economy," Mayor Richard Daley said during a press conference at the park, just west of Hyde Park. The revised plan comes at a politically charged time for the mayor, who likely will face at least three African-American challengers if he chooses to seek re-election, as expected.

So far, the plan appears to be embraced by aldermen in the area, and criticized by park preservationists. Olympics observers see it as enhancing the city's bid prospects.

Originally, the city talked of using Soldier Field and a temporary stadium just south of Soldier Field for opening and closing ceremonies and track and field.

Criticism of a dual-stadium idea by U.S. and international Olympic officials led Chicago officials to come up with the latest plan. The lakefront site was abandoned because the space was considered too small.

Chicago 2016 Committee Chairman Patrick Ryan declined to give a price tag for the facility. The stadium that had been planned for south of Soldier Field was to cost $200 million.

The new plan will be submitted to the U.S. Olympic Committee on Friday. Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles are finalists to become the U.S. bidder, should the USOC decide to proceed with a bid.

Wednesday's announcement could defuse some criticism aimed at Daley, whose foes contend that the mayor has shortchanged some neighborhoods while improving downtown.

If the stadium is built, jobs and contracts "will be the whole issue," Daley said. Neighborhood residents "have to have opportunities ... Who lives out here? African-Americans in large percentages, so they are going to be part and parcel of this." The park is near several predominantly African-American neighborhoods, including Woodlawn.

The stadium issue could become political. Bill "Dock" Walls and Dorothy Brown have announced their candidacies for mayor in the February election, and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) has said he is leaning toward a run.

Jackson welcomed a South Side stadium, but added that neighborhoods should benefit from improvements to schools and transportation.

And Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd) questioned whether the stadium would be funded completely with private resources. He also questioned pouring resources into an Olympic bid rather than into neighborhood parks and schools.

Several African-American aldermen whose constituents live around the stadium site appeared at the press conference with Daley in support.

"I am just ecstatic [about] the economic boom that this could have for us, the jobs and contract opportunities that this could have," said one of them, Ald. Arenda Troutman (20th), whose ward takes in Washington Park. "This is major."

Chicago's Olympics planners have not yet released projections on job creation and economic impact. But they say the 2000 Games contributed $6.5 billion to the economy of Sydney.

Ryan insisted having the stadium in Washington Park would not detract from the city's theme of having a compact Games in the center of the city. Washington Park is about six miles south of Soldier Field.

And the appeal of giving TV broadcasters lakefront pictures will not be lost, he said. Several venues will remain on the lakefront in Chicago's new plan.

The committee also promises improved streets and transportation to the park, more parking, better lighting and security measures, new pedestrian and bicycle paths, and enhanced beautification, including a revitalized lagoon and wetlands.
"We will restore it to the original grandeur," Ryan said.

The Friends of the Parks, an advocacy group, isn't buying it.

"It seems to me this plan would destroy the legacy of Olmsted in that park," said Erma Tranter, president of Friends of the Parks.

Olmsted designed the space in 1871 with the idea of having ponds, lagoons with islands and an open meadow.

"It doesn't sound like a sunken stadium fits in with Frederick Law Olmsted's design of the park, which is an historic landmark," Tranter said.

Her group, which supports the idea of a 2016 Olympics, would prefer a site in an area that needs redevelopment, such as the Southeast Side lakefront.

Some observers say the changes could strengthen the city's bid.

"From the USOC's perspective, it would add a notion of certainty," said Marc Ganis, an expert in sports facility development. "The land is already owned by the city, through the park district, so they can decide what to do with the property."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060920olympics-stadium,1,2217114.story?page=2&track=rss
phersh@tribune.com

gwashburn@tribune.com

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Olympic funding effort gains ground

By Kathy Bergen
Tribune staff reporter
Published September 22, 2006
Warming to the idea of a 2016 Summer Olympics in Chicago, the city's business and civic leaders so far have chipped in $8 million of the $25 million in private financing the city needs to raise by March 31, 2007, to back its bid.

Patrick Ryan, the insurance executive heading Chicago's fundraising effort, disclosed the figures while addressing the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago on Thursday, said Lester Crown, vice chairman of the organization. The event was closed to the public and press.

"He'll get the support he needs to," said Crown, chairman of Material Service Corp. and leader of one of the city's major philanthropic families. The donors were not identified.

Some outside observers say the progress is impressive, given that the formal bidding process began in June.

"The Olympic fundraising process for an aspiring city ... is one where you're always playing catch-up, trying to make believers out of non-believers," said Billy Payne, chief executive of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and of that city's bid effort.

"In the first 12 months of our effort, eight of my friends and me, without corporate help, were the only investors in our effort," he said. "Then it started to gain momentum and traction, and people got all excited, and bam, it happened overnight almost," he said. "I suspect that's the way it will finish there."

The momentum comes after a period of wariness in the business community, and observers say it stems at least in part from the increasing flow of information about the plans, which were revised in response to suggestions from the U.S. Olympic Committee.

After months of keeping its cards close to the vest, the city is starting to unveil its evolving vision. On Wednesday, Mayor Richard Daley and Ryan announced plans to locate the main stadium, a temporary 95,000-seat arena, in historic Washington Park on the South Side, rather than on the downtown lakefront as first proposed.

Further details on venues are expected to be released shortly after the city submits revised plans to the U.S. Olympic Committee on Friday.

In its original bid submission this summer, the city committed to raising $5 million in private funds for the domestic phase of the competition, which pits Chicago against Los Angeles and San Francisco to be the U.S. bidder, should the USOC decide next spring to put forward a U.S. candidate.

And Chicago gave assurances that it could raise an additional $20 million from the private sector by March 31 to put toward an international campaign, should it be selected as the U.S. candidate.

"There was a great deal of enthusiasm among people at the program today," said R. Eden Martin, president of the Civic Committee. "Partly it was enthusiasm for sports ... and as Pat [Ryan] said, it's good for the long-term economic development of the city and region. It will do a lot for jobs and for development and improved transportation and for the reputation of the city internationally."

Ryan could not be reached Thursday.

But a spokesman for the Chicago 2016 Committee, which Ryan chairs, said, "We have had a robust fundraising effort. ... and we are confident we can raise the essential funds needed for the bid and for hosting the Olympic Games." The committee declined to discuss how much had been raised for the bid effort.

As well, it has not disclosed the potential costs of its revised plans for hosting the games. The original proposal called for $600 million in private funding for venue construction and for a private developer to take on construction of a $1.4 billion Olympic Village, which later could be sold as private residences and commercial space. The city has said the games would not burden taxpayers.

The 2016 committee did confirm that a number of major businesses have been working pro bono on the effort. They include architecture firm Skidmore Owings and Merrill LLP, consulting firm McKinsey & Co., law firm Sidley Austin LLP, public relations firm Hill & Knowlton, real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, insurance firm Aon Corp., and pharmaceutical firm Abbott Laboratories.

Ryan is executive chairman of Aon, while Miles White, another key member of the Chicago 2016 Committee, is chairman of Abbott.

Hill & Knowlton has worked on the Olympic efforts of Athens, Beijing and London. McKinsey is an Olympics veteran as well.

----------

kbergen@tribune.com



Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0609220162sep22,1,7866314.story?track=rss

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Villaraigosa to visit England, Asia

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will visit England next week followed by a 16-day trade mission to Asia, officials said.
Villaraigosa travels first to London and Manchester, England, at the invitation of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who met him on a recent visit to California. Villaraigosa will talk about the city's efforts to address global climate change, anti-terrorism and Los Angeles' bid for the 2016 Olympics, according to his staff.


The trip to Asia – with visits to China, South Korea and Japan – is designed to boost commerce between Los Angeles and the countries. Villaraigosa will lead a delegation of city officials and leaders from the private and nonprofit sectors.
Among the deals in the works are plans to open a tourism and marketing office in Beijing to promote international flights and travel to Los Angeles. Villaraigosa also is to meet with executives of major Asian airlines and is expected to see some of the world's newest and most technologically advanced airports

Asia has become a regular travel destination for Villaraigosa's predecessors. James Hahn and Richard Riordan both led trade missions to China, Japan and other countries in Asia to secure agreements with shipping companies, air carriers and other businesses.

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Track record key to L.A. Olympic bid

PHILIP HERSH
Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO -- It may not be able to hold on to pro football teams, but Los Angeles has a hold on the Olympics unlike that of any other U.S. city.

The 1932 Los Angeles Olympics introduced the idea of an Olympic Village shared by all athletes. The success of the 1984 Los Angeles Games saved the very idea of the Olympics, which had been riddled by boycotts and terrorism and were on the brink of financial collapse, while providing the International Olympic Committee with a new economic model for organizing the event.

Yet in the contest to become host of the 2016 Summer Games, Los Angeles' Olympic past may be a mixed blessing. It must overcome a feeling of been there, done that.


The question is: In a country the size of the United States, should one city get a chance to have the Olympics three times if the other U.S. contenders, Chicago and San Francisco, prove viable candidates?

In 2012, London will become the first three-time Olympic host. Just two others, Paris and Athens, have had two official Summer Games.

"There is a lot of magic in moving the Games around, so they impact more and different lives," said Billy Payne, who ran the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. "But L.A. has done a good job twice."

Atlanta is the only other U.S. city to have hosted a true Summer Olympics. The 1904 Games in St. Louis were a sideshow as part of the World's Fair, and competition dragged over 4 1/2 months.

"This will be a new Olympics," Barry Sanders, chairman of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, said of L.A.'s 2016 bid. "At least 70 percent of the sports will take place in different facilities from 1984."

Los Angeles also must fight the perception it has an unfair advantage because U.S. Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth, who ran the 1984 Olympics, and all three IOC members from the U.S. live in Southern California. Those four represent 36 percent of the USOC board, expected to have final say over the choice of a U.S. bid city.

"My interest is in determining whether or not we have an American city that can be competitive internationally in bidding to host the Games," Ueberroth said. "As to which U.S. city that is, I am indifferent.

"The fact is, I have ties to all three U.S. cities under consideration."

Ueberroth was born and went to elementary school in Chicago's north suburbs. He went to college at San Jose State in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sanders thinks the ties among Ueberroth, the IOC members and Southern California actually could complicate Los Angeles' position as the USOC strives for fairness.

"I feel pressured to offer the USOC a bid that is head and shoulders above the others," Sanders said.

In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Sanders provided details of L.A.'s preliminary 2016 plan for the first time publicly.

Los Angeles starts with one clear advantage over Chicago and San Francisco: An Olympic Stadium in place. The Coliseum could reprise its role from 1932 and 1984 once a track is reinstalled.

Chicago is emphasizing the compactness of its plan, undoubtedly hoping that will be seen as a plus compared with the distances between major venues in L.A. and San Francisco.

Los Angeles' 2016 plan is considerably more compact than what was used in 1984. That is significant, given Southern California's substantial growth in population and traffic.

According to a UCLA study, the population of Los Angeles County is expected to increase by 50 percent, to 12.8 million, in the three decades between 1990 and 2020. Those 4 million additional people may be using almost as many additional automobiles.

There were fears the 1984 Games would be paralyzed by gridlock, especially the middle Friday, when the competitive schedule was heaviest and concentrated on the area around the University of Southern California just south of downtown. Those fears proved so groundless that Ueberroth turns them into an amusing anecdote.

At the height of the fateful Friday rush hour, Ueberroth recalled, he was sitting in a helicopter above what usually is the most congested freeway interchange in downtown Los Angeles. Broadcasting from the chopper to local radio stations, Ueberroth was able to count cars as they passed below.

"Any city can plan around traffic, with a little cooperation from the public," Ueberroth said.

The 2016 Los Angeles plan calls for one primary Olympic Village, on the campus of either USC or UCLA, rather than the two of 1984; venues in two counties rather than four; and many venues on or near the rail transit system built after 1984.

Soccer preliminaries would be the only events beyond Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Rowing and canoe-kayak, held 90 miles away at Lake Casitas in 1984, would take place at Long Beach in 2016. Bren Center at the University of California-Irvine campus, to be used for badminton, is 40 miles from downtown L.A. and is the most far-flung non-soccer venue in the current plan.

The 1984 legacy included not only a $225 million surplus that endowed two foundations -- the USOC Foundation and the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, which funds youth sports -- but also no white elephant venues. Of the three venues built for 1984, the two for shooting and velodrome no longer exist, but a new velodrome has been built near the original site.

Many arenas built since 1984 figure prominently in the 2016 plan.

They include the Staples Center (gymnastics) and Nokia Theater (weightlifting), both in downtown Los Angeles; Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim (basketball); the Galen Center at USC (boxing); the Pyramid at Long Beach State (team handball); and the Home Depot Center, 18 miles from downtown, which has the velodrome, a tennis center that can seat 13,000 and a 27,000-seat soccer stadium.

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Tough times ahead for Tokyo Olympic bid
The Yomiuri Shimbun


http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/photo/DY20060901113858801L1.jpg
An aerial view of the land in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, where the Tokyo metropolitan government is planning to build a new Olympic stadium.



Tokyo may have beaten Fukuoka in the race to be Japan's candidate to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, but the capital still has much to do if it hopes to fend of the sterner challenge it will face from overseas competition.

Victory in the domestic bidding race has earned Tokyo the right to line up at the start of the International Olympic Committee's elimination process. However, faced with candidate cities from countries including the United States, which is hoping to host the Summer Games for the first time in 20 years, Tokyo's position is surely that of underdog.

Officials of the Japanese Olympic Committee, who will work alongside the Tokyo metropolitan government in the international bidding race, are very much aware that the real test lies ahead.

"To win in this fierce bidding contest, we'll have to prepare thoroughly," JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda said in his closing address to the JOC-led selection committee, which was meeting and voting Wednesday in Tokyo.

Tsukuba University Prof. Ichiro Kono, a JOC board member and one of the host city assessment committee members, said: "We'll have to review [the whole plan] once again. We can't jump the hurdle if the plan doesn't change."

The metropolitan government and the JOC must now make two issues priorities: organizing the bidding committee and revising venue location. Both underpin the whole plan and mistakes here will be difficult to correct later.

London, which beat strongly favored Paris to host the 2012 Summer Games, serves as a good example of what it takes to win an international race.

According to London 2012 Organizing Committee Deputy Chairman Keith Mills, who also was deputy chairman of London's bidding committee, by far the most important thing is to possess an outstanding "product" or plan.

The London bid, thoroughly planned to include details such as the use of venues after the games, was put together after numerous deliberations and received strong government support.

Yet the Tokyo plan lacks one of the things Mills said can be a crucial vote swayer in a close competition--a main venue complex.

According to Mills, who led work on the practical aspects of London's bidding plan, a main venue complex reduces security concerns and the risk of delays in transporting athletes and visitors because of traffic congestion. He said that while not having this type of complex will not necessarily lead to an unsuccessful bid, the IOC is in favor of them, and they can therefore be a crucial factor in a closely contested race such as when London beat Paris by just four votes.

Another important factor is the organization of the bidding committee, which Tokyo and the JOC are set to begin working on. Mills said he appreciated the importance of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's role, and that full political support by national and municipal governments is important. But he also stressed that politics should not lead the bid and said he understood that the Paris bid team believed it fell short on this point.

London had two committees for the bidding race. The first one was the bidding committee comprising specialists, organized by a private sector company, and the other one was a committee comprising representatives from three groups: the central government, the city and the national Olympic committee. It was this latter group that ultimately approved the final plans.

Still, the victory allowing London to host the Olympic games for the first time in 64 years was a narrow one, even though it mobilized the support of much of the country. The prospects for Tokyo's proposal are therefore uncertain.

===

Brazilian, U.S. cities lead rival bids

The strongest opposition for Tokyo at the IOC's general assembly meeting in Copenhagen in 2009 at which the host city for the 2016 Games will be selected is likely to come from Brazil and the United States.

The three cities left in the bidding to be the U.S. candidate are San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles. Of these, San Francisco is seen as the slight favorite in view of its compact plan and residual sympathy for the fact that it lost out to New York to represent the United States in its 2012 bid.

[I]Whichever city eventually ends up representing the United States, there is no doubt that the country's economic strength and the fact that the United States will not have hosted a summer Olympics for 20 years since the Atlanta games in 1996 will make it a firm favorite.

Rio De Janeiro will also bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics following its unsuccessful bids for the 2004 and 2012 games. In its last two attempts, Brazil did not even make the IOC's final short list. But the country is gaining credibility as a possible host for the way it has prepared for other sporting events in recent years.

There could also be a political element as pressure mounts for a Latin American country to finally be awarded a Games.

Madrid, which made a strong showing in its bid for the 2012 Games, and a yet to be determined Italian city may struggle to win support as the 2012 Games will be held in London, and it is thus unlikely that Europe would be awarded consecutive Olympics.

Another factor that Tokyo has no control over is the timing of the final voting--a year after the Beijing Olympics. If the South Korean city Pyeongchang is chosen to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, this will mean an Asian city will have been awarded Olympics in 2008 and 2014, making it unlikely that the committee would look to the continent again so soon.

If Tokyo should fail in this bid, then it will also find a play for the 2020 Games even more difficult, with many European cities expected to return to the race. A great deal therefore rests on what it does now.

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Los Angeles mayor pitches city's diversity in bid for 2016 Summer Olympics
By: North County Times wire services -

LOS ANGELES - In seeking to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles should focus on its diversity.

That's the advice London's Olympic officials gave Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during his four-day trip to England, the mayor said today.

Villaraigosa returned to Los Angeles yesterday after meeting with British officials to discuss terrorism, global warming and to how to win over the International Olympic Committee.


London will host the 2012 Games, becoming the only city to host the Olympics three times -- a feat Villaraigosa hopes Los Angeles can match.

"They gave us a lot of great advice, things that we need to focus on," Villaraigosa said of his meeting with London's Olympic organizing committee. "We came away very impressed with the London effort for the Olympics, and I think more knowledgeable about what we need to do to win those Olympics.'

Villaraigosa and other city leaders have touted the theme "L.A. is the place where the world comes together" when making various pitches to the United States Olympic Committee over the past year.

"One tip they gave us is that the world wants to know why your city should be selected, and what the connection is to the rest of them," Villaraigosa said. "They want to see is focusing on spreading the message of the Olympic spirit, really getting kids and schools to buy into this ... and gain a grassroots support for the Olympics."

Los Angeles was home to the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics and made a bid to host the 2012 Olympics, but was passed over as a U.S. candidate due to several weaknesses, some of which have been improved, USOC and city officials have said.

In July, the USOC selected Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago its three finalists to possibly host the 2016 Summer Olympics, but it remains unclear whether the committee will even submit a bid to host the games in America.

The USOC had a poor showing before the IOC in a bid to win the 2012 Games. New York garnered only 13 votes from the IOC to host the 2012 Olympics, eventually losing out to London.

The last American city to host the Summer Olympics was Atlanta in 1996.

If the USOC decides to submit a bid to host the 2016 Olympics, the committee will select a city by March. The International Olympic Committee will choose the host city for the 2016 Games in 2009.

[ReDSPork02]

Chicago faces uphill climb for Olympics

By Kathy Bergen, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune staff writer Philip Hersh contributed to this report
Published September 28, 2006


As Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco pull the veils from their proposals to host the 2016 Summer Games, one thing is becoming crystal clear: Of the three, Chicago is facing the highest hurdles at this time.


Chicago is new to the bid process, while its competitors are veterans with established organizations and existing road maps. Chicago's stadium plan is the most ambitious and expensive, which will require more intensive private fundraising.

Still, San Francisco's previous run "had serious organizational questions that may or may not have been resolved," said John MacAloon, an Olympics scholar at the University of Chicago. The key issue was "how committed are all the public authorities?"

San Francisco is the only finalist that hasn't disclosed its full venue plan, saying it's still talking with affected communities.




Los Angeles, meanwhile, has most of its venues in place, but emphasizes that at least 70 percent of the sports will be in different facilities than in 1984.

"The Games will be held in beautiful new venues that are already in existence," said Barry Sanders, chairman of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games. The Coliseum, as it did in 1932 and 1984, would serve as the main stadium once a track is re-installed.

Costs for permanent and temporary construction for the Games should be less than $150 million, including $20 million to put the track in the stadium.

In contrast, Chicago's proposal involves nearly $2 billion in privately financed construction, including $300 million for the stadium, and $1 billion for an Olympic Village south of McCormick Place.

But Los Angeles' having hosted two previous Games could work against it.

Some International Olympic Committee members still resent that the 1984 surplus wasn't shared with the international movement, said MacAloon, of the U of C.

Sanders rejects this observation, saying the surplus has been used to foster youth sports. In any case, for 2016, "we are doing things differently, trying to employ all the best lessons 32 years later," he said.

While Chicago faces an uphill battle, it remains squarely in the game, say a number of observers.

Chicago's bid is the most compact of the three. "And Chicago has a great airport; the mass transit is superior, the hotel accommodations are ample," said Frazier.

And another strength, say observers, is political will.

"The mayor brings tremendous strength and credibility ... which is very important to the USOC and the IOC," said Jay Kriegel, who was executive director of New York City's bid for the 2012 Games, which ultimately went to London.


-

San Francisco

Weaknesses:

- Political cohesion of region in question

- Stadium plan still in flux

Strengths:

- Romantic image overseas


And, while informal polling by the U.S. Olympic Committee showed strong international interest in Chicago earlier this year, some observers believe Chicago's image overseas is dated, linked more to stockyards, steel and Al Capone than to its stunning skyline, blossoming Millennium Park and first-rate cultural and culinary offerings.

"I travel the world a lot ... and it astounds me how many people still view Chicago as Al Capone city, and Michael Jordan," said Marc Ganis, an expert in sports facility development.

Most early bets are being placed on San Francisco, which was the first runner-up in the domestic competition for 2012 behind New York. And some others are betting on two-time Olympics host Los Angeles, which has most of its venues in place.

"My gut feeling is that San Francisco might have an edge this time around," said Robert Livingstone, the producer of GamesBids.com, in Toronto. "It's got experience from 2012, it's got a lot of attractive international elements, and [Los Angeles] has already had the Olympics twice."

Still, it remains a horse race, and nobody is counting Chicago out just yet.

"Chicago has acquitted itself extremely well so far, but there is a tremendous amount to do," said Ganis, president of Sportscorp Ltd.

The Chicago 2016 Committee "has got to work on romance," said A.D. Frazier, who was the chief operating officer of the 1996 Atlanta Games. "They have got to overcome the steak-and-potatoes reputation."

Chicago voiced confidence in its approach.

"Our focus really has been on the athlete's experience ... and making a significant investment in the Games and the athletes," said Doug Arnot, director of venue development and operations for the Chicago 2016 Committee. The city's plan is compact, with many venues along the lakefront and near downtown, including an Olympic Village south of McCormick Place and a temporary main stadium in Washington Park, near the University of Chicago.

All three cities submitted revised proposals to the U.S. Olympic Committee last Friday, and the organization will issue evaluations of those proposals in late October. The field may be narrowed afterwards.

By year's end, the USOC will decide whether to float a U.S. bid city, and if it goes forward, pick the city by early April.

Chicago is not alone in facing hurdles.

Los Angeles will have to fight a "same-old, same-old" stigma and perhaps some lingering hard feelings that it didn't share the $225 million surplus from the 1984 Games with the international Olympics movement. And San Francisco will have to prove it can rally all necessary public authorities, a shortcoming in its bid to host the 2012 Games, some observers say.

But those two cities do have some advantages.

San Francisco found a way to bring the centerpiece stadium for opening and closing ceremonies, track and field, and soccer finals into the city, along the San Francisco Bay. The proposal involves temporary modifications to a planned new stadium for the 49ers football team.

And while no price tag has been disclosed for the Olympics adaptations, it is likely to be in the neighborhood of $35 million, a fraction of the $300 million Chicago estimates it would cost to build a temporary stadium in Washington Park on the South Side and later convert it into a 10,000-seat below-ground arena.

San Francisco's previous bid, for the 2012 Summer Games, was criticized for spread-out venues.

"The farthest bus ride for any athletes is 54 minutes, which means every single athlete will be able to stay in that one village," said Mark Dolley, a spokesman for the San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee.

[TheDesertFox]

Even though I live in Wisconsin and love Chicago to hell, I doubt they'll get it. The USOC always tries to play their strongest card, and even though Chicago is a world-class city, I don't think that they will choose it. Even if they do, the chance of a US city being picked is slim. I'd say take LA.

[ReDSPork02]

In a hopeful gesture, Chicago unveils its Olympic logo

By Gary Washburn
Tribune staff reporter
Published October 12, 2006, 8:18 PM CDT


Officials on Thursday unveiled the official logo for the city's 2016 Olympic Games bid, a stylized Olympic torch with a distinctly Chicago look.

The base of the torch is blue—representing the color of Lake Michigan's water—and green, a bow to Chicago's park system.

But the "flame" of the logo is what gives it a real Windy City flavor. It is an impressionistic rendering of the city's skyline, with a Sears Tower flavor, that was designed to represent Chicago's renowned architecture and the vitality that emerged after the Great Fire of 1871.

Merchandise featuring the new logo will be available soon. And the symbol will make one of its first public appearances when it is posted at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on Oct. 22, said Mayor Richard Daley, who officiated at the unveiling at a Millennium Park news conference.

"You see Chicago in the torch," said Daley, who is pushing hard for city's selection as host of the 2016 Games.

The city is vying with Los Angeles and San Francisco to be selected by the United States Olympic Committee as America's candidate. The International Olympic Committee ultimately will select a winner from a list of cities worldwide.

gwashburn@tribune.com
http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/thumbnails/graphic/2006-10/25866313.jpg

[ReDSPork02]

2016 Bid Mixes New and Old
L.A.'s plan to bring back Olympics focuses on readiness and clusters of sites, some familiar from 1984 Games as well as more recent additions.
By Lisa Dillman, Times Staff Writer
October 18, 2006

Construction, thy name is Olympics.

Those who remember the last-minute dash in Athens in 2004 and recent visitors to 2008 host city Beijing might think that the five Olympic rings represent cranes, forklifts, hard hats, power tools and nuts and bolts.

That, thankfully, won't be an area of concern should the Summer Olympics land in Los Angeles for a third time, down the road in 2016. A review of proposed venues in the Los Angeles bid for the 2016 Games shows an uncommon degree of readiness, especially in comparison to rivals Chicago and San Francisco, each city vying for the right to represent the U.S. bid.

Local bid officials stress that the preliminary plan is by no means chiseled in stone, subject to change through the multi-step process. Their vision features a tight area of concentration — clusters in Anaheim, Long Beach, Carson and downtown Los Angeles. The Olympic Athletes Village would be at either UCLA or USC.

For the 1984 Olympics, venues ranged from an equestrian event in San Diego County to rowing and canoeing at Lake Casitas in Ventura County, which included temporary housing for those athletes at UC Santa Barbara.

This time, the venues would be confined to Los Angeles and Orange counties, said David Simon, president of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games. The one exception, which is typical for the Olympics, is that early-round soccer would be played in Las Vegas and San Diego. As in 1984, the soccer final would be at the Rose Bowl.

"No more than six of the 28 sports would be staged at the same venue as in 1984," Simon said.

And that's where the balancing act starts for local bid officials. The immense success of the 1984 Games should not be ignored, of course, nor should it loom over the approach for 2016. Simon said the challenge is to show that existing facilities doesn't necessarily mean old facilities.

Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles and the Home Depot Center in Carson weren't even a glint in the eye of mogul Phil Anschutz in 1984, and the same can be said of Anaheim city officials with the Honda Center, formerly known as the Arrowhead Pond.

A number of smaller facilities in the 2016 plan have gone up since the 1984 Olympics — the Bren Center in Irvine, the Pyramid in Long Beach and the Galen Center at USC, to name a few.

The impressive list of new facilities will go a long way in combating the perception that this bid would simply be a repeat of the 1984 formula.

"It's an issue we're going to have to deal with," said Tim Leiweke, the president and chief executive of Anschutz Entertainment Group who is vice chairman of the bid committee. "What we have to convince people that this is not '84, different people leading the bid, completely different facilities. And most of all, we're a completely different community.

"I'm hoping we can showcase for people, that, yes, we hosted it before, which proves we know how to do it. But our strength is the fact that so much of our bid is new and different than anything they saw 30 years ago."

Said Richard Foster, president of United States Aquatic Sports: "It is quite different from 1984. I think that's a manageable thing. That was 22 years ago, and when you project it to 2016, that's a huge amount of time."

Additionally, the existing venues in the area have the built-in advantage of a constant stream of use by local sports teams and yearly tournaments, said Barry Sanders, chairman of the bid committee.

"The venues are built for constant use for professional teams — a quality you may not get at a venue when things were put up in a hurry," Sanders said. "And you don't have a shake-down period. The public knows where to park."

There is familiarity with the proposed swimming venue, even though it is not an existing facility. The U.S. Olympic Swimming trials were held in Long Beach in 2004 when two temporary pools were built for the event in the parking lot of Long Beach Arena.

The 2016 plan would have swimming, water polo and synchronized swimming at the same spot. Simon said that diving was an option for the pool at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, but the facility would need renovation.

Foster, former president of USA Water Polo, helped bring the swimming trials to Long Beach in 2004, and he is trying to convince Simon to hold the open water swimming events, which will debut during the Beijing Games, at Marine Stadium in Long Beach.

Marine Stadium is proposed to host rowing, which would be a throwback to the 1932 Olympics.

One of Los Angeles' trump cards over the other two bidding cities is the presence of an existing Olympic Stadium, the Coliseum. The U.S. Olympic Committee won't select a bid winner until March or April, with the International Olympic Committee's final decision on a 2016 host city coming in October 2009.

Leiweke spoke about the lessons of the 2012 bid, in which Los Angeles was eliminated early on.

"The last time out we maybe relied too much on our experience and our knowledge," he said. "I think it's important we think outside the box on this one and don't take it for granted. I know that's what happened last time. Quite frankly, we were too high on ourselves. I think we should believe we're in last place."

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

*

(INFOBOX BELOW)

If Los Angeles is awarded the 2016 Olympic Games, here are the projected venues-existing and planned-for each event:

1. Mountain biking (Griffith Park)*

2. Soccer (Rose Bowl)

3. Equestrian (Santa Anita Park)

4. Volleyball (UCLA Pauley Pavilion)

5. Rhythmic gymnastics (Gersten Pavilion)

6. Track and field (L.A. Memorial Coliseum)

7. Weightlifting (Nokia Theater)

8. Boxing (USC Galen Center)

9. Artistic gymnastics (Staples Center)

10. Field hockey (East Los Angeles College)

11. White-water kayak (Raging Waters, San Dimas)*

12. Shooting (L.A. County Fairplex, Pomona)*

13. Modern pentathlon (L.A. County Fairplex, Pomona)*

14. Soccer (Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas)

15. Volleyball (The Forum)

16. Archery (Home Depot Center, Carson)

17. Tennis (Home Depot Center)

18. Track cycling (Home Depot Center)

19. Soccer (Home Depot Center)

20. Team handball (Pyramid of Long Beach)

21. Judo (Long Beach Arena)

22. Swimming (Long Beach Swim Complex)*

23. Beach volleyball (Long Beach Volleyball Complex)*

24. Fencing (Long Beach Convention Center)

25. Synchronized swimming (Long Beach Swim Complex)*

26. Water Polo (Long Beach Swim Complex)*

27. Taekwondo (Long Beach Convention Center)

28. Diving (Belmont Plaza Pool)*

29. Sailing (Long Beach Marina)

30. Rowing (Long Beach Marine Stadium)

31. Canoe/kayak (Long Beach Marine Stadium)

32. Basketball (Honda Center, Anaheim)

33. Table tennis (Anaheim Convention Center)

34. Wrestling (Anaheim Convention Center)

35. Basketball (Anaheim Arena)

36. Badminton (Bren Events Center, Irvine)

37. Equestrian three-day-event (San Juan Capistrano)

38. Soccer (Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego)

*Planned venue

Source: David Simon, SCCOG. Graphics reporting by Joel Greenberg

[FFX-ME]

as if montreal is bidding, they are still in dept from the first olympics they held

[ReDSPork02]

Top City Award Boosts San Francisco 2016
Posted 10:42 am ET (GamesBids.com)

The Mercury News reports that San Francisco ranked first in the Conde Nast Traveler’s annual readers’ choice awards for the top 10 U.S. cities for the 14th consecutive year, which has boosted the city’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said in a statement, “we are incredibly proud that the readers of Conde Nast Traveler have chosen San Francisco. This prestigious travel award is one of the many reasons why we believe San Francisco is the best U.S. city that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) can offer the world”.

The newspaper says the title was determined based on 21,000 responses by Conde Hast Traveler readers. The magazine said each city was judged on ambiance, friendliness, culture and sites, restaurants, lodging and shopping.

[ReDSPork02]

City halfway to raising Olympics money

By Kathy Bergen
Tribune staff reporter
Published October 26, 2006, 3:50 PM CDT


Chicago is halfway to raising the $25 million in private donations needed to finance its bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, the two chief fundraisers said today.

"At this point, all signals are good. … I'd be very disappointed if we don't exceed our goal," said McDonald's Corp. Chairman Andrew McKenna, who co-chairs fundraising for the Chicago 2016 Committee along with Deborah DeHaas, vice chairman and regional managing partner for Deloitte & Touche USA LLP.

Although many of the contributions so far have come from major corporations and foundations, the committee plans to widen its appeal to the entire community with a fundraiser to be held after the start of the year, McKenna and DeHaas said.

The city has committed to raising $5 million in private funds for the domestic phase of the competition, in which Chicago is up against Los Angeles and San Francisco, with a decision expected in April.

All three cities must have an additional $20 million deposited in an escrow account by March, which the winning U.S. bidder would put toward an international campaign.

Other bidders worldwide could include Tokyo, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Moscow. A final decision on a host city is expected to be announced in October 2009.

If Chicago should lose out in the domestic round, the $20 million will be refunded to donors.

[ReDSPork02]

Post Any News; Details And articles pertaning to the 3 cities and there bids.

BID PROFILE AND FACT SHEET - 2016 SUMMER OLYMPIC BIDS


Bid: 2016 Summer Olympics

When IOC Chooses Winner: October 2009 - Copenhagen, Denmark.

Bid Status: Not Yet Begun. The IOC will likely begin to collect applications in 2007.

2016 Bid Timeline: TBA

Bid Documents: TBA

2016 Bid Timeline Dates set by bid committees and IOC


February 8, 2006 Copenhagen, Denmark selected as host city for 2009 Olympic Congress and final 2016 bid vote
May 8-18, 2006 US Olympic Committee visits mayors of Houston (May 8), Philadelphia (May 9), Chicago (May 10), Los Angeles (May 18) and San Francisco (May 18) for 2 hour assessment meetings
July 26, 2006 US Olympic Committee narrows nomination short list to Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. USOC still hasn't decided whether to bid.
August 30, 2006 Japan Olympic Committee nominated Tokyo over Fukuoka for 2016 Bid
September 1, 2006 Brazil's Olympic Committee nominates Rio de Janeiro for 2016 Bid
March, 2007 If it decides to nominate a bid, the USOC will make its final selection based on presentations and bid books.

October, 2009 FINAL 2016 VOTE - Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark


Potential 2016 Bid Cities (in planning stages):

Argentina (Announced Argentina's Vice President on May 28, 2006)
Chile (Announced Chile's NOC President on October 15, 2002)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (According to March 1, 2004 Report)
Hamburg or Berlin, Germany (According to February 17, 2004 Mayor's Announcement)
India (GamesBids.com Reports December 3, 2005)
Tokyo, Japan (JOC announces May 19, 2005)
Kenya (GamesBids.com Reports January 12, 2005)
Madrid, Spain (Announced it will try again after 2012 loss)
Monterrey, Mexico (Reports)
Montreal, Canada (Mayor Announces July 31, 2005)
Netherlands (Reported May 20, 2006)
Portugal (GamesBids.com Reports January 7, 2004)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (GamesBids.com Reports September 1, 2006)
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Under investigation)
St. Petersburg, Russia (According to Vice Governor, December 29, 2003)
Tel Aviv, Israel (conducting feasibility study, admits challenges.)
Thailand (According to September 15, 2004 Report)
United States (Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco on short-list) Chicago 2016


Cancelled 2016 Bid Cities:

Baltimore, USA
Brussels or Flanders, Belgium (Prime Minister announced September 17, 2003)
Fukuoka, Japan
San Diego USA, Tijuana Mexico
Moscow, Russia (After 2012 loss, opted out for 2016)
Rome, Italy Proposed bid was withdrawn by Mayor July 11, 2006 - "not enough political backing"
Sapporo, Japan (Report February 18, 2006)

USOC expects to nominate a city for 2016
By EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer
1 hour, 54 minutes ago



COSTA MESA, Calif. - Though they spent the day discussing in blunt detail the pitfalls in the arduous bid process, U.S. Olympic Committee officials sounded sure as ever Wednesday that they'll nominate a city to host the 2016 Summer Games.


At times, the opening of the two-day USOC seminar headlined by chairman Peter Ueberroth sounded more like a primer on why not to bid for the Olympics than why to get excited about it.

Still, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco are in the game. They were given every indication that the USOC will commit in December to picking one as its candidate.

"We're becoming more and more optimistic that we will be going forward," said Bob Ctvrtlik, the USOC's new international vice president.

Ctvrtlik is a central cog in the USOC's effort to spearhead a potential 2016 bid. A former Olympic volleyball player and current member of the International Olympic Committee and USOC board of directors, Ctvrtlik knows as much as any American about how to negotiate through the confusing terrain that is the IOC.

He, Ueberroth and CEO Jim Scherr spent much of the day reminding potential bidders that the United States' reputation is hurting — on the geopolitical front in the wake of an unpopular war, and on the Olympic front where the USOC leadership only recently has been stabilized after years of turmoil.

"The international community viewed us as a revolving door, and it was," Scherr said.

The key to the 2016 bid is for the city to figure out a way to overcome the negatives and get 51 percent of the approximately 120 votes come selection day in 2009.

"The next time I say it, it won't be in a friendly way," he said. "You have to tell us how you can get 60 votes. That's your No. 1 objective."

To help set a roadmap, the USOC whipped out the overhead projector and presented what was essentially an "IOC 101" class to the dozen representatives from each city.

One presenter offered a detailed history of the modern Olympic movement. Then, Ctvrtlik tried to boil down the nuances of the seemingly impenetrable culture of the IOC into a 30-minute presentation.

He told the cities what they could expect in the areas of:
_Logistics: Get ready to make presentations to the IOC on a moment's notice, usually at an inconvenient time and in every far-flung corner of the globe.

_Personalities: For instance, memorize former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch's face and show the proper respect. After all, everyone else does.

_Politics: Instead of hanging out in hotel lobbies, focus on making as much one-on-one contact as possible with members of the selection committee. Don't act smug, arrogant or celebrate a supposed victory too soon. Don't let politicians take over your operation as the deadline gets closer. Don't end up on the speed dial of Paquerette Girard Zappeli, leader of the IOC Ethics Commission.

All of this might seem intrinsic. But it was the perceived failure of New York to adhere to some of these basics — not to mention money problems that wracked the city's efforts throughout the process — that resulted in its failed bid for the 2012 Games.

"New York received 16 votes," Ueberroth said. "That's 16 votes for which NYC2012 spent almost $60 million, along with untold time, energy and other resources."

To avoid a repeat, the USOC is getting intimately involved in this bid process, which picks up steam internationally late next year.

Madrid, New Delhi, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Tokyo are among the cities that have expressed interest in landing the 2016 Games. Many cities are waiting to see if the United States decides to bid.

The USOC will firm up its decision on whether to make a bid by the end of the year. The city would be selected next April.

Although these cities will be responsible for their own presentations, they would be wise to listen to Ueberroth. He's the man who almost single-handedly transformed the Olympic movement into a multibillion-dollar business with his successful spearheading of the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

Along with Ctvrtlik and Scherr, Ueberroth reminded the cities that, at its core, the bid process is not enjoyable or easy. They passed out a three-volume, 530-page "bid book" to bring home that point.

Once a bid is won, things only get worse as criticism mounts and schedules often go unmet.

So, why bid?

"There is no property like the Olympic Games," Scherr said. "No city will undertake the Games if it's merely a losing proposition for them."

[ReDSPork02]

San Francisco Reluctantly Withdraws 2016 Olympic Bid
Posted 2:48 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee Managing Director Scott Givens has announced that his bid will be withdrawn from the national nomination process against Chicago and Los Angeles.

"We've damaged our reputation...the damage has been done and the damage can't be pulled back" he explained at a press conference today.

"We were all shocked" Givens said as he described how his bid committee was caught off-guard by the 49ers stadium announcement and how it has already caused a "perceptual gap" to the rest of the world.

He said that the bid committee made the decision based on feedback from others in the industry even though there were a couple of remaining viable back-up plans.

San Francisco previously competed for the US nomination to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games but lost to New York - a bid that went on to suffer a similar fate when its stadium plans fell throught only weeks before the final vote by the International Olympic Committee. In reaction to that, the USOC has changed its site selection process in order to avoid more embarassment in the future.

The San Francisco 2016 bid committee already had well-developed plans and $23.25 million - more than required by the USOC - and had established itself as the bid to beat. But while Chicago and Los Angeles are also fighting for the nomination, the USOC still hasn't committed to bidding for 2016 and could shut down the process before the end of the year.

There is no telling what impact San Francisco's demise might have on the USOC, and by extension the other two bids, that may be carried into the international campaign.

Check GamesBids.com shortly for more news on this rapidly developing story.

PRINT THIS ARTICLE EMAIL THIS ARTICLE

[dktshb]

Good work ReDSPork02: :tup:

I posted your article here:


Governor Schwarzenegger Adds California Voice to Chorus of Support for Los Angeles' 2016 Olympic BidFriday January 19, 2:00 pm ET
Standing With L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa, Elected Officials From Across the Region, and Olympians, the Governor Commits to Creating 'A Winning Bid and the Best Games Ever'
USC and UCLA Put Rivalry Aside to Team Up and Support the Bid as Olympic Villages


LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today joined with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG) and Olympians at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to voice his overwhelming support and that of all of California for Los Angeles' bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Flanked by city and county officials from across the region and children from Vermont Elementary School who participate in the SCCOG's Ready, Set, Gold! fitness program, Gov. Schwarzenegger said California and Los Angeles will welcome the world if chosen.

"I could not be more proud of the great bid Los Angeles has put together to host the 2016 Games," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. "Los Angeles has all the facilities the Olympic Games need. It also has incredible tradition and a Gold Medal record when it comes to hosting these great summer Games. Los Angeles embodies the Olympic spirit. It is a city built on dreams, where anything is possible."

Los Angeles is one of just two U.S. cities remaining in competition to be the United States Olympic Committee's (USOC) candidate to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2016 Games. The SCCOG's bid plans are now being finalized for submission to the USOC on January 22. The USOC has said that it will make a final decision on April 14, 2007.

"Today we celebrate," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "Working hand in hand with our Governor, we can now bring the power of all of California to Los Angeles' 2016 Olympic bid."

Along with the Governor's support, the SCCOG announced today that the Los Angeles bid now includes the participation of both University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC). UCLA will house thousands of athletes in the official "Olympic Village" and USC will serve as the "Media/Family Village," playing host to the world-wide media, Games officials and other dignitaries. In recognition for its excellence, UCLA Housing and Hospitality Services recently received the Eureka Silver Level CAPE Award as one of only ten organizations so honored statewide in 2006 by the California Council of Excellence.

"The Games are not something the Olympic Committee does for a city; they are something a city does for the Olympic Movement and for the athletes of the world," said Barry Sanders, SCCOG Chairman. "Today, Los Angeles' great institutions, including USC and UCLA, join with our Governor, our Mayor, our Olympians, our children and the people of California with a commitment to honor that promise."

"The support we have from our elected officials across the city, region and state matches the high level of enthusiasm from Olympians like me," said Olympian Peter Vidmar, who earned his two gold medals in gymnastics during the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. "A total of 1,147 Californians have been U.S. Olympians and Paralympians since 1896, and we will carry their spirit forward, to honor our Olympian tradition by making the 2016 Games all about the athletes."

The Vermont Elementary School is one of 50 Los Angeles Unified School District schools participating in the SCCOG's Ready, Set, Gold! (RSG!) program, which draws upon United States Olympians and Paralympians and matches them with schools in a campaign designed to help youth set and meet fitness and health goals. The RSG! program is a legacy of the Los Angeles bid for the 2016 Olympic Games.

About the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG)

Formed in 1939, the SCCOG is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the Olympic movement in Southern California. Since its inception, the SCCOG has bid for the Olympic Games on behalf of and in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles, garnering the award of the Games for 1984. Hailed world- wide for their near-flawless organization, the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles generated an operating surplus of $235 million (in 1984 dollars). Further information about the SCCOG can be found on their website at www.sccog.org.


Contacts:
Emily Hallford/Burson-Marsteller
Phone: (310) 309-6600
David Simon/President SCCOG
Phone: (213) 482-6333

[ReDSPork02]

Stadium design set for showing
Olympic plan calls for improvements to park
By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published January 23, 2007, 6:13 AM CST


Chicago's Olympic bid organizers on Tuesday are expected to unveil their vision for a massive temporary stadium in Washington Park, a plan that also calls for major improvements to the historic park, according to open space and historic preservation advocates who have been briefed on the plan in recent weeks.

But some open space advocates argue that a key feature of the plan--which calls for converting the stadium into an in-ground amphitheater after the 2016 Summer Games--would disrupt the park's protected landscape and obstruct the sports activities that currently take place there.

"They're trying to leave behind something that the community has not called for," said Erma Tranter, president of Friends of the Parks. "It is a counter use of what the park is used for right now in that area--baseball fields, soccer field and cricket. A depression would remove space that is needed right now."

The 350-acre Washington Park was designed in 1871 by legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his partner Calvert Vaux. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means any changes to the park using federal dollars would require a public hearing.

Other open space and historic preservation advocates, however, were more positive, pointing out that the plan calls for land bridges that would extend over busy roads in Washington Park. According to the advocates, the bridges would improve pedestrian access to the Du Sable Museum of African-American History, located on the park's east side, and a pool and locker building on the park's west side designed by the firm of renowned Chicago architect Daniel Burnham.

Gerald Adelmann, executive director of the Openlands Project, a non-profit group, said the proposed amphitheater would likely have stone ledges rather than fixed wooden or metal seating, making it "very naturalistic."

It remained unclear Monday if the amphitheater would contain a track, as initial plans suggested.

"It's still pretty conceptual," Adelmann said.

"We are guardedly optimistic that they can build a stadium and remove it without destroying Olmsted features," said David Bahlman, president of Landmarks Illinois and co-chair of the National Association for Olmsted Parks. "It would have to be an invisible landscape feature that didn't compromise the Olmsted plan."

Tuesday's news conference is expected to provide the first glimpse of architects' plans for the stadium. In September organizers said the cost of the temporary facility had risen by 50 percent, to $300 million. The stadium would seat 95,000 spectators, organizers said, with the amphitheater's seating pegged at 10,000 people.

Historic preservationists initially expressed skepticism that the multimillion-dollar stadium would be dismantled, fearing it would mar Washington Park for decades. The issue is now less pressing, Bahlman indicated.

"Pat Ryan explained to us that whatever is funded by the Olympics itself--revenue from tickets, concessions, etc.--has to be temporary," Bahlman said. Ryan, chairman of Aon Corp., is Mayor Richard Daley's point man for Chicago's bid.

Chicago is vying with Los Angeles to be named the American city that competes for the 2016 Summer Games. The U.S. Olympic Committee is scheduled to choose between Chicago and Los Angeles on April 14.

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bkamin@tribune.com


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Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

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Committee Submits L.A. Bid For 2016 Summer OlympicsLOS ANGELES, January 22, 2007 - A plan for Los Angeles to host the 2016 Summer Olympics was submitted Monday to the United States Olympic Committee, just days after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his support for the bid.

The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games submitted a plan that emphasizes the city's existing sporting facilities, travel and tourism infrastructure, and its position as a major media center.
The committee will choose either Los Angeles or Chicago as its choice to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. The International Olympics Committee will select a host city in 2009.

"We offer the United States Olympic Committee a very compelling bid submission for Los Angeles to host the 2016 Olympic Games," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

"Los Angeles is where the whole world comes together, and if chosen, we will bring all that is California to the athletes, to the Olympic Movement and to the world."

The city's plan includes use of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum home of the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics Staples Center, and the Home Depot Center in Carson. UCLA would likely serve as the Olympic Village for the athletes, and USC would serve as the Media/Family Village, according to the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games.

"Because we can stage the Games with almost no construction of permanent facilities, we can turn our attention to building human spirit, human achievement and joy the fundamental Olympic values," said SCCOG chairman Barry Sanders.

Schwarzenegger joined Villaraigosa last Friday at the Memorial Coliseum to lend his support to the Olympic bid.

Los Angeles made a bid to host the 2012 Olympics, but was passed over as a U.S. candidate in favor of New York City. The Big Apple garnered only 13 votes from the IOC in its bid to host the 2012 Olympics, eventually losing out to London.

The last American city to host the Summer Olympics was Atlanta in 1996.

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L.A. 2016 Games – Compact And Ready
Posted 8:38 am ET (GamesBids.com)

Los Angeles 2016 officials said Friday that the city is already equipped to stage the 2016 Summer Games with only one venue needed to be built, and a more compact area than during the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.

Barry Sanders, chairman of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games said, “we can stage these Games with almost no construction of permanent facilities. We can turn our attention to building human spirit, building human achievement and joy---fundamental Olympic visions”.

Sanders said the only new venue to be built would be for shooting at the country fairgrounds in suburban Pomona. A refurbished Los Angeles Coliseum near the downtown area would be used for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and for track and field.

Residence halls at UCLA would house the Athlete’s Village, while the media and Olympic family would stay at residence halls on the University of Southern California campus.

Gymnastics would be at the Staples Center, swimming in a temporary pool built on the same Long Beach parking lot where the 2004 U.S. Olympic trials were held, and diving would take place at an indoor pool in Long Beach.

Basketball would be played at Honda Center in Anaheim, home of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.

Other venues include the Galen Center, USC’s basketball area; Home Depot Center in suburban Carson; and the Pyramid arena on the Long Beach State campus.

Preliminary soccer would be played in San Diego and San Francisco.

On Monday Los Angeles and its rival Chicago will submit their bid books and five weeks after that a USOC evaluation team will conduct two-day technical evaluations in each city.

The USOC evaluation team will present its findings to its board of directors on April 14, the two bid cities will make their final presentations, and the candidate city will be chosen. Submissions will be made to the International Olympic Committee on September 15 and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games host city will be chosen in 2009.

Referring to Chicago, Los Angeles’ competitor for the USOC candidacy, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, “we don’t want to compare to any other city. We just want to extol the virtues (of Los Angeles)”.

Earlier the Mayor told a rally of supporters, “we’re here as one team – the city, the county and the state. We’ve got the beaches, the glitz and the glamour, and now we even have David Beckham”.

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San Francisco's Deja Vu Could Quash America's Dreams For 2016

A Blog ENTRY from GAMESBids.com

I wasn't there, but I could practically hear the frustrated sighs emanating from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) headquarters in Colorado Springs last week. The deja vu of disappointment was unmistakable when the San Francisco 49ers decided to pull out of any possible deal with an Olympic bid and take its business to Santa Clara instead.

Less than two years ago, New York 2012 - perhaps the most high profile bid ever presented by the USOC - lost its marquee venue, a West-end Manhattan Olympic Stadium and future home to the New York Jets football team just weeks before the International Olympic Committee was to choose a host city. This effectively killed any chances the city may have had to win the bid, but with nothing further to lose the bid committee concocted a backup plan that saw the Olympic Stadium move to Queens and what would be the eventual new home of the New York Mets baseball team. Unfortunately this did nothing to save face on the international scene and the bid went down with a whimper.

To make the most of this embarrassment, the USOC went through a "lessons learned" process and totally revamped the internal site selection process for a possible 2016 bid. Rather than a competition, it was to be a consultative process where the USOC would work closely with the bidding cities to prepare a proposal worthy of international competition. If one was found, the USOC would take it under its wing and move forward.

Surely a critical element was a locked-down venue plan, including the Olympic Stadium, and several other guarantees.

But San Francisco's bid leaders claimed they were "in shock" when the 49ers made their surprise announcement and denied the bid their marquee venue - one that apparently was only a possible solution at best according to a letter released by team officials last week.

"There is still a significant hurdle to overcome", John York, co-owner of the 49ers wrote to the San Francisco Mayor in a letter written September 14.

With the facts in place, back-up plan or not, the San Francisco bid leaders made the correct political decision to withdraw which could spare the USOC further headaches on the matter. But is the damage already done? Has the USOC gained a reputation that it may not be able to deliver on its promises, and will they now insist that venues already be in place?

Enter Chicago and Los Angeles, the remaining bid hopefuls.

Los Angeles already has an Olympic Stadium. In fact, it has already been used for the Olympics twice so they can pretty much guarantee a stadium without risk. Chicago has planned a new stadium in Washington Park, and while nobody can be sure that it is guaranteed at this point, at least we can be certain that there is no football team prerequisite.

So now you're thinking Los Angeles has to be the safe bet for the USOC. Well, think again. This stadium battle has already been played out on the international scene when Paris faced London in the bid for 2012.

Flashback to 2012:

Paris presented a pre-existing venue, the Stade de France - an economical, guaranteed facility that was already a legacy of the 1998 Soccer World Cup.

London boasted a brand new stadium plan that was to become the centrepiece of an entirely new Olympic venue complex in London's Lower Lea Valley. The stadium is to be scaled back after the Games to become a more manageable and useful legacy - similar to Chicago's current plan.

London won the battle and will host the 2012 Games after IOC members applauded the exciting new venue concept, preferring it to the second-hand Paris offering. It's clear that IOC members want guarantees without sacrificing the glamour of the Olympic Games - they want it all.

During that 2012 campaign Paris followed the rules, played it safe and gave the IOC what they asked for. London tested the rules, worked aggressively and gave the IOC what they really wanted. In 18 months the London bid managed to erode a perceptually huge Paris lead. USOC - take note.

Back to 2016:

I've been reading reports this morning that Los Angeles is the new favorite in the U.S. race, contradicting the observations above. L.A. boasts completed venues and guarantees - but lacks the Hollywood sizzle and excitement that the IOC wants. The USOC really needs to work with Chicago to produce a compelling, innovative bid that not only instills confidence but also spoils the IOC in a way they've become accustomed to. If they don't accomplish this they might as well pass on 2016 and regroup for a later bid.

San Francisco 2016 - Part 2?

I still get this odd feeling that the San Francisco bid hasn't completely given up. While they've officially announced that they've withdrawn - they still haven't wrapped up their media machine. The new Website is still being updated with press releases; the press releases continue to boast how great the plan is, and how much money has been raised; and this morning they've posted all of their bid documentation for the world to inspect. To me, it seems like the kind of damage control that happens when a bid is still in the works.

Yesterday SF2016 Managing Director Scott Givens announced the bid's demise, but also suggested a couple of feasible backup plans that included a scaled-down venue for Candlestick Point without the 49ers or possibly continuing negotiations with the team in order to lure it back to San Francisco.

He stressed that the bid's cancellation was due to a "perceptual gap" - that the bid was caught off-guard and couldn't effectively respond to the events as they unfolded.

Is it possible that the USOC and SF2016 have engineered the withdrawal to give time for the bid to regroup, re-plan and then re-emerge stronger than ever? I doubt it, but the USOC is often full of surprises. After all, the purpose of the internal site selection process is to create a winning bid, not run a fair competition.

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USOC Receives 2016 Candidate Cities Documents
Posted 5:38 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) received the bid books Monday from Chicago and Los Angeles, the two cities under consideration to be selected as the U.S. Applicant City for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

USOC Vice President, International, Bob Ctvrtlik, who is overseeing the bid process for the USOC, said, “the submission of the Domestic Bid Books is another important milestone in our process and the cities are to be commended for the outstanding work they have done.

“There are three things that are immediately apparent when reviewing the Bid Books. First is the passion and enthusiasm that each city has for the Olympic Games and Olympic Sport. Second is the strong desire of each city to work with the USOC in building long-term, meaningful partnerships with the worldwide Olympic Movement, and third is their recognition of the universal importance of the Olympic Ideals in our world today.

“These are critical factors in the success of any bid and it is clear our two U.S. Candidate Cities understand this”, he said.

The USOC announced Monday the dates the USOC Evaluation Commission will conduct inspections of the two cities. The commission will visit Los Angeles February 28 to March 2 and Chicago March 5 to 7.

The members of the USOC Evaluation Commission will be announced in early February and the USOC will select and announce its Applicant City for the 2016 Summer Games on April 14.

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City unveils Olympics plans

By Kathy Bergen
Tribune staff reporter
Published January 23, 2007, 6:17 PM CST


Chicago sought to portray its push for the 2016 Olympics as eminently doable Tuesday, saying 80 percent of the cost to build a stadium and other sports venues will be paid for with Olympics revenues, and the remainder with private donations.

The city's ability to present an ironclad plan is crucial as it vies against Los Angeles to represent the United States in the international competition to be the host city. Los Angeles, which has mounted two previous Olympics, has most facilities already in place.



In a press conference Tuesday morning, the day after the two cities filed bid books with the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Chicago 2016 Bid Committee revealed a host of fresh details:

--A temporary stadium at Washington Park, the linchpin for the Games, has reduced in size, while cost estimates have risen. The plan now calls for 80,000 seats, rather than 95,000, to trim costs. This is estimated to cost $316 million.

-- After the stadium is dismantled, another $50 million will be spent to construct a lasting amphitheater in Washington Park. The facility, for cultural and sporting events, will seat 5,000, down from the 10,000 originally planned.

-- The combined cost of the temporary stadium and the amphitheater, $366 million, is up from earlier estimates of $300 million to $320 million. A nationally known contractor has committed to build it for that amount, adjusted for inflation, though ultimately the project will go out for bid.

--The stadium design was unveiled, showing a bowl-shape arena, with a partial roof over seating for Olympics officials and the media. An outer skin will display dramatic images of Olympic athletics, and live coverage of the events will be projected on huge screens, at Washington Park and in other city parks, including Grant Park.

--The overall plan, which concentrates most venues downtown, by the lakefront or in city parks, becomes even more downtown-centric, with a decision to move the rowing competition from the South Side lakefront to Monroe Harbor. The cost of adapting the harbor is estimated at $60 million.

--Six private developers have signed letters of intent to bid on construction of a $1.1 billion Olympic Village, to be erected on a platform above the truck parking lot at McCormick Place. This project, too, will go out for bid. Officials said the city is committed to seeing an Olympic Village complex, even if Chicago does not get the Games. The goal is to transform and create a new community that will be very much like the high-rise communities along North Lake Shore Drive.



Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

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The 2016 Olympics -- they will be held in Chicago or Los Angeles

Thursday, January 25 2007

Monday, the United States Olympic Committee received the Domestic Bid Books from the two U.S. Candidate Cities under consideration to be selected as the U.S. Applicant City for the 2016 Olympic Games – Chicago and Los Angeles. The good news, one of the two cites in all likelihood will host the 2016 Summer Olympics. The best news, whichever city isn’t selected by the USOC. The bad news, the city that is selected by the USOC faces a $20 billion bill once they are selected by the International Olympic Committee in October 2009. The IOC vote will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“The submission of the Domestic Bid Books is another important milestone in our process and the cities are to be commended for the outstanding work they have done,” said USOC Vice President, International Bob Ctvrtlik, who is overseeing the bid process for the USOC. “There are three things that are immediately apparent when reviewing the Bid Books. First is the passion and enthusiasm that each city has for the Olympic Games and Olympic Sport. Second is the strong desire of each city to work with the USOC in building long-term, meaningful partnerships with the worldwide Olympic Movement. And third is their recognition of the universal importance of the Olympic Ideals in our world today.

“These are critical factors in the success of any bid, and it is clear our two U.S. Candidate Cities understand this,” added Ctvrtlik.

The 1996 Summer Games were held in Atlanta, the 2000 Games in Sydney, the 2004 Games in Athens, the 2008 will be in Beijing and the 2012 Games are scheduled for London. Geographically that’s North America, Australia, Europe, Asia and back to Europe. That leaves the IOC with little if any choice except for North or South America for the right to host the Summer Olympics in 2016.

As is the usually the case with the IOC’s decision more than two years away there are more that 20 cities that have expressed interest. However, if one follows the geographical location of previous cities where the Olympics have been held, considers historical factors it is almost inevitable the 2016 Summer Games host will be from either North or South America.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place in South America, likely in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro expressed an interested in hosting the 2016 Olympics in September. However with Brazil and Columbia vying for the right to host the 2014 World Cup (and rest assured Brazil will be selected) Rio will be eliminated as a host city for the 2016 Olympics. An Olympic Games have never been held in South America. Both Argentina and Chile have indicated their interest in hosting the 2016 Summer Games. However, neither country offers what Rio might have. At the same time both Argentina and Chile have little if any infrastructure capable of hosting an Olympic Games. Those factors make it next to impossible for a South American city to be awarded the 2016 Olympic Games.

That leaves Mexico, Canada and the United States. Mexico City the host of the 1968 Olympics has shown any interest. Interestingly Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay announced the city that hosted the debt ridden 1976 Olympics was interested in hosting the 2016 Games. Nice to see Montreal’s interest, never say never but it’s a pretty safe bet the IOC won’t ever be interested in returning to a city whose lasting Olympic legacy was its debt. For all the right or wrong reasons that leaves either Chicago or Los Angeles as the host of the 2016 Games.

There is a belief among many Olympic pundits the International Olympic Committee remains a European centric group with strong anti-American sentiments.


President Jacques Rogge speaking with NBCsports.com’s Alan Abrahamson earlier this week made it clear the IOC was ready to seriously consider a Summer Games bid for the United States.

“I think there is absolutely no negative anti-Americanism. I think that is a wrong perception."
To those who might suggest otherwise, Rogge said, "It may be that you are seeing the situation through too-dark glasses."

Abrahamson raised a number of important issues. The International Olympic Committee's policy-making executive board is made up of 15 IOC members, none from the United States. Abrahamson also suggested the IOC’s decision to eliminate baseball and softball and New York’s dismal fourth place finish (out of the final finalists) in the bidding for the 2012 host city are symptomatic of anti-American feelings on the IOC.

Before anyone gets too excited as to why baseball and softball were not included in London’s 2012 Olympic program consider these financial numbers. According to The London Telegraph, London Olympic organizers stand to save $86.9 million with baseball and softball off their Olympic menu. In a country with no grassroots baseball and softball programs, the building of baseball and softball stadiums in a country where baseball and softball aren’t on the sports landscape, it makes perfect sense to not have a baseball and softball event(s).

As for New York’s fourth place finish, it may have surprised some the 2004 and 2012 Games are both being held in European cities. Yes the IOC’s current 108 members include 56 Europeans. Madrid who nearly stole the 2012 Games from London is expected to bid again for the 2016 Games, but three of four Summer Games being held in European cities – just not going to happen. And suggestions Tokyo will bid for the 2016 Games, there may not be a great many American IOC members but let’s remember the economic engine that drives the Olympic Games – American corporations who have led the way in the Olympic sponsorship program. And then consider the financial commitment American television has made to the IOC.

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Consider the rights NBC has paid the IOC for last year’s Torino Games. At the same time, why not factor in the commitments NBC has made to the Olympics through the 2012 London Games. NBC has the rights through the 2012 Games; the Games beyond 2012 have yet to be offered for broadcast tender:


$614 million for the 2006 Torino Winter Games.
$894 million for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.
$820 million for the 2010 Vancouver, B.C. Winter Games.
$1.181 billion for the 2012 Summer Games.
The IOC generated $833 million in broadcast rights from the Torino Games. The latest IOC Olympic broadcast revenue chart indicates, the IOC is projecting broadcast revenues of $1.706 billion in world wide rights from the Beijing Games. In total the IOC expects broadcast revenues of $2.539 billion from this quadrennial (the four year period that includes both the Torino and Beijing Games), with NBC contributing $1.508 billion, more then 60 percent of the total broadcast revenues the IOC will realize.

According to the IOC, during the four-year Olympiad, that includes the Turin Games and the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, the IOC believes sponsors and broadcasters will pay more than $4 billion in fees for the quadrennial up from the $3.6 billion in similar revenues the IOC collected for the 2002 Salt Lake City and 2004 Athens games. The IOC keeps 51 percent of the broadcasting and marketing dollars each Olympic Games generate, with the host organizing committee receiving the other 49 percent.

Of the eleven IOC Top sponsors, a designation given to the select group of companies who each invest tens of millions of dollars in the Olympic ‘ideal’, six are companies with their world-wide headquarters based in the United States: Coca-Cola, General Electric, Kodak, Manulife Financial, McDonald’s, and Visa.

Rogge made it clear he has tremendous respect for USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth. After Montreal’s disasters debt ridden 1976 debacle the only city interested in bidding for the 1984 Olympics was Los Angeles. After a United States boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics nearly ended the modern Olympic movement, Los Angeles agreed to move forward with their 1984 selection only if the Games wouldn’t cost taxpayers a dime.

Organizers turned to Peter Ueberroth, who stood and delivered. The Montreal Olympics had more than 600 sponsors, the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games more than 350 sponsors. Ueberroth believed fewer sponsors (exclusivity) would bring bigger dollars. It was Peter Ueberroth who conceived the Olympic TOP program, it was Peter Ueberroth’s vision that saved the Olympic Games and turned the debt ridden Games into a money making machine. The 1984 Games, eight years after Montreal lost more than $1 billion generated a profit of $250 million. That is the man at the helm of the USOC today, the man who save the Olympic Games.
Rogge said of Ueberroth, is a "very, very capable man" who has "brought peace and stability and prestige to the United States Olympic Committee.

"Definitely," Rogge went on. "I think he is also preparing for the future by hiring new people, by empowering new people." Among them: Jim Scherr, the USOC's chief executive; Norm Bellingham, the chief operating officer; Bob Ctvrtlik, the USOC's vice president for international relations, and Robert Fasulo, an American who had for years been based in Lausanne, now the USOC's staff director for international affairs.

"That is very wise from his point of view," Rogge said.

Soon after the 1984 Games (Ueberroth was selected as Times Man of the Year in 1984), then IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch reportedly wanted to honor Ueberroth by appointing him to the IOC. That never happened, but you can believe Ueberroth who went from running the 1984 Games to becoming Major League Baseball commissioner hasn’t forgotten that he was snubbed by the IOC. Men like Peter Ueberroth have long memories, and while Ueberroth has never suggested he even cared about being appointed to the IOC, a man as proud and successful as Peter Ueberroth has to have thought about the insult sent to him by the IOC more than 20-years ago.

70 percent of the revenues the International Olympic Committee generates are from American based companies. The economic engine that drives the Olympic movement is the United States of America. Another issue that has upset the European centric is the United States being the only country that gets its own cut of Olympic broadcast and marketing revenues. Worldwide there are 203 National Olympic Committees. When one country is generating 70 percent of all the revenues common sense dictates that country will receive the biggest share of the pie.


The 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in the United States of America for both economic and geographical reasons. There is no other rationale choice for the IOC to make, and Peter Ueberroth is the man who will deliver the Games back to an American city.

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For Sports Business News this is Howard Bloom. Sources citied in this Insider Report: NBCsports.com

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