[Electrical Porpoise]

Well, you might as well aim high...I guess.

Birmingham, Alabama, mayor wants Olympics in 2020

In just 47 days, thousands of athletes will converge on Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games and millions around the world will tune in to watch the best in the world compete.

If Mayor Larry Langford has his way, that same spotlight will be on Birmingham in 2020. Langford is putting together a committee to make a bid to bring the Olympic Games to the Magic City.

"Why not Birmingham? - that's my question," Langford said Friday. "You don't know what you can do till you try it. We've got everything it takes to make it work."

Langford said the committee will evaluate all available athletic facilities in Birmingham and neighboring cities in making the application.

By 2020, as the mayor sees it, all the city projects currently envisioned, including an indoor track and Olympic-sized swimming facilities at Fair Park and a domed stadium would be completed.

"That's the beauty of a 12-year planning period," Langford said.

Birmingham has passed an early test in hosting the games, the mayor said, referring to 1996 when the city hosted Olympic soccer competitions. Atlanta hosted the Olympics that year. Like Atlanta and other host cities, Langford said Birmingham would undertake a massive building campaign to prepare to host the world.

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