2024 Olympic Bid?

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Andrew_F
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2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Andrew_F » February 7th, 2013, 6:40 am

Just saw this article in the Daily: http://www.mndaily.com/2013/02/07/minne ... lympic-bid.

Would be very cool, and would provide a boost for infrastructure, but I'm not so sure about the costs and the planning nightmares that Olympic facilities become afterwards...

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby mulad » February 7th, 2013, 8:31 am

I'm not going to be making any bets that this will happen -- the city has made noises about hosting the Olympics many times, but perhaps city leadership has learned more about what is required to have a request be taken seriously.

I have been thinking about how many sports venues are on the Central Corridor -- Major-league venues like Target Field, Target Center, Metrodome/Vikings Stadium, and Xcel Center. A cluster of sites at the University of Minnesota including Williams Arena, Mariucci Arena, TCF Bank Stadium, and a few other places. Hamline University isn't far off the corridor. Still, many of our venues aren't exactly Olympic in scale and design.

Some sports invariably end up going to "nearby" cities, so there would be potential for venues being built in Duluth, Rochester, and probably somewhere in Wisconsin. I suppose an event or two could be as far away as Milwaukee or Chicago.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Nathan » February 7th, 2013, 10:32 am

I was a fan of the 2020 bid on facebook and then the 2024 bid since it's facebook page was made... It's hard to think it would happen, but it won't if we don't try... The olympics get held in small-er-ish cities all the time. Minneapolis/St. Paul is a great metro and totally deserves it. Look at the infrastructure SLC got and still uses...

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Minneboy » February 7th, 2013, 12:05 pm

If not for some bribes made by Atlanta officials I think Minnesota would have had it.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Minneboy » February 7th, 2013, 12:07 pm

Atlanta was selected by the USOC over bids from Nashville, San Francisco and runner-up Minneapolis to be the U.S. representative in international bidding.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Nick » February 7th, 2013, 12:37 pm

The Winter Olympics are one thing (and we're short on mountains) but since Atlanta the Summer Olympics have been in: Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, and we'll have Rio in 2016. 2020 is up between Istanbul, Tokyo, and Madrid. I'm as big a Minneapolis/Minnesota booster as anyone, but can we run with that crowd?
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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Nick » February 7th, 2013, 12:45 pm

Like, I mean.
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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Nathan » February 7th, 2013, 3:52 pm

While that's really funny, We have a lot of things that cities our size do not have, and it's 12 years away... and the Olympic counsel has stated that they want another US Summer Olympics sooner than later. We're just competitive enough to get it, but small enough that there is a lot of doubt(ers).

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby fehler » February 7th, 2013, 4:30 pm

If Obama couldn't pull it for Chicago, how does Minneapolis stand a chance?

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Avian » February 7th, 2013, 6:42 pm

That Onion piece was brilliant. But the Twin Cities have bid for it 4 times previously and indeed was the International runner-up to the winner, Helsinki, in 1952.

If Atlanta could do it the Twin Cities certainly could. While Atlanta grew at an explosive rate in the last 20 years, their MSA population was just a bit over 3 million when they won the Olympic bid in 1990. The Twin Cities today certainly have a better infrastructure than Atlanta did at the time.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby beykite » February 7th, 2013, 7:05 pm

Weren't they planning on having some events here if Chicago had won?

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby IanMPLS » February 7th, 2013, 8:05 pm

I would love, love, love for us to land the Olympics someday. I mean, I'm pretty sure we have more facilities for a Summer Olympics than like three host cities combined, plus the leftovers from the '96 bid up at National Sports Center, and take your pick of scenic water features for those events. Canoeing competitions on Lake Calhoun, or above the falls on the river? Shyes. I think we're well-positioned from a facilities standpoint (most cost overruns associated with disastrous Olympic bids arise from the cost of building all these stadiums and arenas and such, a road we've already been down), and by 2024 we'll have at least one more light rail line and a few more buses to get around? Maybe? It at least won't be Atlanta-bad. (Atlanta was such a disaster, in fact, that I think the IOC decided to wait at least another 30 years for America to become a bit more developed as a country). Plus, it's gotta count for something that our summers aren't morbidly hot. (I've also never understood why they give tropical places the games in the dead of summer. That's dumb.)

BUT...

It would be a death match with Toronto. Toronto's been angling to get the Summer Olympics for decades. They're already hosting the 2015 Pan-Am Games as a test-run on trying for an Olympic bid. They'll have the facilities in place, too, plus a superior transit system, more money from a more organized municipal/provincial/federal governmental structure to throw at the thing, a reputation as one of the safest, cleanest, most prosperous and welcoming cities in the world, and Canada already proved in Vancouver that it can put on one of the most fantastic Olympic games in memory.

If they put up a bid, Toronto's got 2024 in the bag. And I will be there.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby FISHMANPET » February 7th, 2013, 8:55 pm

Wasn't the swimming pool at the Rec Center built to Olympic standards in anticpation/in case of an olympic bid? I suppose the timing would coincide with the 96 Olympics?

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Nick » February 7th, 2013, 9:03 pm

Wasn't the swimming pool at the Rec Center built to Olympic standards in anticpation/in case of an olympic bid? I suppose the timing would coincide with the 96 Olympics?
I told hundreds of prospective students and their families this story as a campus tour guide, so I sure hope so :lol:
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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby MNdible » February 7th, 2013, 10:46 pm

Well, technically it was built for the 1990 US Olympic Festival, which is why they built it inside Memorial Stadium in such a hurry. Although people were dreaming of the actual Olympics.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Didier » February 19th, 2013, 10:25 am

http://www.insidethegames.biz/1012980-u ... d-for-2024

This letter was sent to Mayors of the top 25 cities in US about potential bids for 2024 Games.
Dear Mayor XXX,

As you may know, the United States Olympic Committee is currently considering a bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As we explore this exciting possibility, we are actively seeking to gauge the interest of U.S. cities that may have the ability to host an event with the scope and scale of the Olympic Games. To that end, we are reaching out to cities that have previously expressed an interest in bidding as well as the cities in the largest 25 U.S. markets.

As you saw in London, the Olympic and Paralympic Games bring people together in a magnificent celebration of sport and the human spirit, unifying disparate cultures and beliefs around a shared set of values. For 29 magical days, differences are forgotten and human achievement becomes the theme. Win or lose, joy springs from the effort to be the very best we can be, and sport makes the world a better place. Now more than ever, we need to use the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to encourage our youth to be active and engaged in sport.

Based on expected International Olympic Committee deadlines, we have 2+ years to decide whether we want to submit a bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. We would like to begin having discussions with interested cities about possible bid themes as well as the infrastructure, financial resources and other assets that are required to host the Games. Our objective in this process is to identify a partner city that can work with us to present a compelling bid to the IOC and that has the right alignment of political, business and community leadership. We are seeking a partner that understands the value of the Olympic Games and the legacy that can be created not only for their community, but for our country.



February 19, 2013
Page Two


The staging of the Games is an extraordinary undertaking for any city, with operating budgets in excess of $3 billion, not including costs associated with venue construction and other infrastructure. Among the many requirements are:

• 45,000 hotel rooms.
• An Olympic Village that sleeps 16,500 and has a 5000-person dining hall.
• Operations space for over 15,000 media and broadcasters.
• An international airport that can handle thousands of international travelers per day.
• Public transportation service to venues.
• Roadway closures to allow exclusive use for Games-related transportation.
• A workforce of up to 200,000.
While the Games require a formidable commitment, they also provide an unparalleled opportunity for a city to evolve and grow. The Games have had a transformative impact on a number of host cities, including Barcelona, Beijing and London. They enable the creation and implementation of a new vision and provide a powerful rallying point for progress.

As you likely know, the U.S. submitted bids to host the 2012 (New York) and 2016 (Chicago) Olympic Games. Both New York and Chicago had to participate in a domestic bid process that cost upwards of $10 million before they were designated by the USOC as an IOC Applicant City. Moving forward, we are going to select our Applicant City through a thoughtful but more efficient process. The first step in that process is to have discussions with interested cities. If you have an interest in learning more about a 2024 Olympic and Paralympic bid, please have an authorized representative contact Chris Sullivan, USOC Chief of Bids and Protocol, at [email protected]. Chris can supply additional information and will begin an effort to assess the viability of a bid from XXX. Your representative does not necessarily need to be affiliated with your city government.

Whether or not we decide to submit a 2024 bid, we are grateful for your support of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements. Please feel free to call me at any time.

Sincerely,


Scott A. Blackmun
Chief Executive Officer

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Didier » February 19th, 2013, 10:28 am

If Obama couldn't pull it for Chicago, how does Minneapolis stand a chance?
Obama had nothing to do with Chicago winning or losing the bid. The USOC and IOC had complicated relations at the time, including a major dispute over revenue sharing, which is entirely why Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Didier » February 19th, 2013, 10:30 am

Wasn't the swimming pool at the Rec Center built to Olympic standards in anticpation/in case of an olympic bid? I suppose the timing would coincide with the 96 Olympics?
I assume you're referencing this as a potential training pool rather than the actual venue?

The U of M Aquatic Center also has a pool, but it's 25 yards (not 50 meters) and the building is not even close to Olympic standards.

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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Didier » February 19th, 2013, 10:51 am

Here is a list of the cities that received the letter from the USOC. Curiously Minneapolis but no St. Paul, since they'd obviously need to submit a joint bid. And realistically, more events would probably take place in St. Paul.

1 Phoenix Arizona
2 Los Angeles California
3 Sacramento California
4 San Diego California
5 San Francisco California
6 San Jose California
7 Denver Colorado
8 Washington D.C.
9 Jacksonville Florida
10 Miami Florida
11 Orlando Florida
12 Atlanta Georgia
13 Chicago Illinois
14 Indianapolis Indiana
15 Baltimore Maryland
16 Boston Massachusetts
17 Detroit Michigan
18 Minneapolis Minnesota
19 St. Louis Missouri
20 Las Vegas Nevada
21 New York New York
22 Rochester New York
23 Charlotte North Carolina
24 Columbus Ohio
25 Tulsa Oklahoma
26 Portland Oregon
27 Philadelphia Pennsylvania
28 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
29 Memphis Tennessee
30 Nashville & Davidson County Tennessee
31 Austin Texas
32 Dallas Texas
33 Houston Texas
34 San Antonio Texas
35 Seattle Washington

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Nathan
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Re: 2024 Olympic Bid?

Postby Nathan » February 19th, 2013, 11:34 am

What I have heard before is that 2 cities technically cannot co-host the games, but that doesn't stop the city from utilizing facilities in it's region...


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