Legislation Introduced For Minnesota 2020 Olympic Bid

Legislation to put a 2020 Olympic bid in motion was introduced last week for the second time this decade for lawmakers to explore whether Minnesota could host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Rep. Melissa Hortman wants to create a panel that would investigate the cost of submitting a bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on behalf of Minnesota, reports the Associated Press (AP). The panel would include representatives from the corporate, non-profit, public sector and amateur sports communities.

Hortman said pursuing the Games would impose strict deadlines on legislators to make decisions about proposed stadium and transportation plans. She added the Olympics could be a big money maker for the state.

Hortman’s plan calls for setting up a task force to examine a possible state bid for the Games.

Greg Ortale, President and CEO of the Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association said the task force is “a great way to start. The bottom line, it’s going to come down to cost”.

In 2001 some lawmakers tried to get Minnesota in the running for the 2012 Games but it never really took off.

One obstacle could be the lack of hotel rooms. Also other cities in the United States are vying for the 2016 Summer Games. If a U.S. city wins the 2016 Games the chances of another American city landing the 2020 Games would be remote.

But Ortale said, “if the vision (for the Olympic bid) is there, and the political and business community will is there, then yeah, it will happen”. Write or read comments about this article

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