GamesBids.com: A Cape Town 2020 Olympic Bid "Premature"

A Cape Town 2020 Olympic Bid "Premature"
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GB Staff on Wednesday, July 21, 2010  2:29pm EDT
 
Calling a bid from Cape Town for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games "premature",
mayoral committee member for economic development Felicity Purchase said
Wednesday that although it would be "fantastic" to host the Olympic Games, Cape
Town was not ready to make a bid.
Sport 24 reports Purchase said, "I don't want to be negative, but I don't think
in the short term we are ready yet to do an Olympic bid. We will be looking at
that, and have a committee that will (consider the issue) shortly. But to be
quite honest with you, I think it is premature".
South Africa's Olympic governing body said last week it would formally oversee a
bid for the 2020 Games and encouraged potential host cities to come forward,
reports Sport 24.
Purchase said the city needed to complete a study now underway on the economic
implications for Cape Town of the recent soccer World Cup, and also needed to
conduct a cost-benefit analysis of an Olympics, look at the Olympic bid book,
and conduct a "gap analysis" of what was required and what could be achieved in
a given time.
Purchase added, "the Olympic Games would be fantastic. The reality of it is that
we are not there yet".
"People that have hosted these big events say that the return on the investment
is far greater for small events (held) in a regular sustainable way than for a
mega-event. Yes, you achieve a lot, and there's a lot of legacy that comes with
it.
"And that is the benefit of the (soccer) World Cup for us. But realistically,
can we afford it, having to deliver all those things that are required for an
Olympics, now? I can honestly say, I don't think so", she said.
Cape Town lost the 2004 Olympics to Athens.