56 replies to this topic

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

Mo Rush, on Jun 19 2006, 09:07 AM, said:

i doubt durban would just be allowed to bid without a national competition between joburg and cape town as well...it wont just be durban with a new 70,000 seat stadium...cape town has the X-factor and the experience and basically the international exposure and marketability..i dont think durban would be able to compete with that...an olympic stadium with the city and table mountain and the atlantic ocean as a backdrop...any city will find it tough to compete with that...

I agree, Durban does not have the beauty factor of Capetown or the size and importance of Jo-burg, but it's still the only other city in South Africa that could dream of an Olympics, and my impression of it is that it is the most "rainbow-hued" city of the "Rainbow nation". I think it would be an excellent exploratory bidder for 2016 ahead of a more serious 2020 Oly bid, and then would have a great chance of being a consolatory CWGs host a la Melbourne and Manchester after Capetown hosts the Olympics.

[Rafa]

if by exploratory bidder u mean they actually go ahead and bid in 2016...i doubt that...its a waste of money

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

Mo Rush, on Jun 19 2006, 11:35 AM, said:

if by exploratory bidder u mean they actually go ahead and bid in 2016...i doubt that...its a waste of money

I would never rule South Africa out of the 2016 race if they tried. I'm sure they could count on African support, and they could probably also gain from some European support _ for Europe, a South Africa games is a nice way to make sure they have a TV-friendly Olympics while not having it in their continent. The Euros may not be so obliging in 2020 when they fancy their own chances again.

[Rafa]

don't get me wrong i do think 2016 would be a good time to bid...however whether 2016 or 2020 i think cape town should be the one to bid...

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

Mo Rush, on Jun 19 2006, 11:47 AM, said:

don't get me wrong i do think 2016 would be a good time to bid...however whether 2016 or 2020 i think cape town should be the one to bid...

Of course you think that way, and Cape Town's my preferred bidder as well. But if Durban wants to volunteer for the off-chance it can win, or as a spearhead/practice run for 2020, I'd say go for it. I'd just tell them to shut up about a possible 2014 CWGs bid _ any speculation about that has the potential to backfire.

[Rafa]

i see ur point..doubt nocsa would allow something like that...

[jim jones]

Mo Rush, on Jun 18 2006, 11:07 PM, said:

i doubt durban would just be allowed to bid without a national competition between joburg and cape town as well...it wont just be durban with a new 70,000 seat stadium...cape town has the X-factor and the experience and basically the international exposure and marketability..i dont think durban would be able to compete with that...an olympic stadium with the city and table mountain and the atlantic ocean as a backdrop...any city will find it tough to compete with that...

Could it be and end run around Cape town that Durban is looking to do Mo Rush ? To me it really looks like wishful thinking just based on a stadium being erected in durban that anything really creditable.
Joburg and Cape town are more creditable canidates and I would say all the south african cities would probably be kept in line with what seems to be policy of supporting Nigeria in the bid efford for 2014.
Joburg certainly has many of the facilities right now for a bid.

jim jones

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

The trouble with Jo-burg is that while it may have lots of facilities and its size and population might mean it can best justify the added investment and infrastructure required of an Olympics, its international reputation is of, well, a vast, soulless, crime-ridden magalopolis who's biggest tourist draw is Soweto. Glamour counts to the IOC, and Cape Town has the international glamour and beauty that Jo-burg can only dream about.

[Rafa]

i was five...in joburg for some reason or the other..wanted to go to the beach..apparently there was no beach in joburg..havent liked the place since..

[jim jones]

Mo Rush, on Jun 19 2006, 10:54 PM, said:

i was five...in joburg for some reason or the other..wanted to go to the beach..apparently there was no beach in joburg..havent liked the place since..

Well landlocked places of course certainly are dependant on unique topography . The ocean or body of water is usually where cities are developed. Considering that the summer games are in Bejing next I would still not count Joburg out. Capetown of course would have a close area for sailing compared to joburg.Capetown is much more appealing of course. The closeness of the sea in nova scotia is the only real advantage halifax has over glasgow and abuja but sailing is not in the sports mix of the commonwealth games. Halifax also has a lake that is a rowing events dream as far as a natural body of water. Again another sport not in the commonwealth games mix.

jim jones