Soaring Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 I thought it would be interesting to discuss the 54 times a U.S. city put in a bid for the Olympic Games. I don't know if you would call them all "bids", as a few times the city was just chosen, or the election was canceled due to wars. Hopefully I didn't miss any - here is the run down... SUMMER Chicago 2016, 1956, 1952, 1904 New York 2012 Atlanta 1996, 1920 Los Angeles 1984, 1980, 1976, 1956, 1952, 1948, 1932, 1928, 1924 Detroit 1972, 1968, 1964, 1960 1956, 1952, 1944 Minneapolis 1956, 1952, 1948 Philadelphia 1956, 1952, 1948, 1920 San Francisco 1956 Baltimore 1948 Cleveland 1920, 1916 St. Louis (1904 switch) WINTER Salt Lake City 2002, 1998, 1972 Anchorage 1994, 1992 Lake Placid 1980, 1968, 1956, 1952, 1948 1932 Denver 1976 (Innsbruck Hosted), 1932 Squaw Valley 1960 Colorado Springs 1956 Duluth 1932 Minneapolis 1932 Bear Mountain 1932 Lake Tahoe 1932 Yosemite Valley 1932 Detroit takes the cake with their seven bids, but never hosting. LA is the all time leader with 9, but hosted twice. Lake Placid also hosted twice, and put in six bids. Minneapolis is the only U.S. city to bid for both a Summer and Winter Olympics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 I was kind of bored, so I drew up this map to give us some geographical context. The numbers represent amount of bids. Orange is summer, and blue is winter. I used green for St. Louis. Bid leaders by state... California - 13 bids New York - 8 bids Michigan - 7 bids Minnesota - 5 bids Illinois - 4 bids Pennsylvania - 4 bids Colorado - 3 bids Utah - 3 bids Alaska - 2 bids Georgia - 2 bids Ohio - 2 bids Maryland - 1 bid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneTimeOnly Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 I was kind of bored, so I drew up this map to give us some geographical context. The numbers represent amount of bids. Orange is summer, and blue is winter. I used green for St. Louis. Bid leaders by state... California - 13 bids New York - 8 bids Michigan - 7 bids Minnesota - 5 bids Illinois - 4 bids Pennsylvania - 4 bids Colorado - 3 bids Utah - 3 bids Alaska - 2 bids Georgia - 2 bids Ohio - 2 bids Maryland - 1 bid What are your three blue 1's in California? Because you have one blue 1 down near Fresno, and people often think that is where Squaw Valley 1960 was, and it was not. Squaw Valley is up in North Lake Tahoe. There is a small little town east of Fresno called Squaw Valley, and it shows up on Google Maps, but that is not where the 1960 winter games were held. P.S. Never mind, I see you meant that one for Yosemite. But Bear Mountain, wasn't that Big Bear in Southern California? Nope, it was Bear Mountain New York? Never heard of the place... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 According to Games Bids, Bear Mountain, NY put in a bid for 1932. Yes, I confused Squaw Valley for the little town, not the ski resort near Lake Tahoe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenadian Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Can't wait for you to add the Tulsa 2020 dot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Don't knoiw if it counts, but New York did go as far as to investigate, and maybe even launch a preliminary bid for 1984 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY20?? Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 If Bear Mountain was capable of hosting today's Winter Games (and it isn't), it could do it with New York as the anchor. Distance between the two is less than Vancouver-Whistler. There would even be a waterside highway between the two up the Hudson River ala BC’s Sea-to-Sky Highway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nykfan845 Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Bear Mountain?! LMAO. I haven't been there since I was a kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY20?? Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Haha yeah, it's really just a bunch of hills with nice views by Winter Olympic standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 I am so happy countries can only put one city in the running now. It is crazy how Minnesota put two cities in the same race in 1932. Another thing that is kind of striking is how the Midwest region has put in 19 bids, and St. Louis is the only city to ever host even though they technically did not put forth an official bid. But I guess you wouldn't call things "official" back then anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Hey, Sta. Paquita, Kansas, launched a bid in 2005--the model for Tulsa 2020!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citius Altius Fortius Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 P.S. Never mind, I see you meant that one for Yosemite. But Bear Mountain, wasn't that Big Bear in Southern California? Nope, it was Bear Mountain New York? Never heard of the place... According to Games Bids, Bear Mountain, NY put in a bid for 1932. Well, according 100 Jahre Olympische Spiele by Karl Adolf Scherer it was really Bear Mountain in New York State (page 145) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 My list was directly from the Games Bids website, and I think they weeded the cities out by posting only those who put in a bid with the IOC, not cities that did a study to see whether it was viable for them. If we included that list, we would have well over 100 bids. Texas is a massive state, and it is a little surprising that they have never put forth an official bid. I know Houston and Dallas have made proposals, but they never went forth as an official bid with the IOC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Here are a few bid logos I found: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 If we included that list, we would have well over 100 bids. Texas is a massive state, and it is a little surprising that they have never put forth an official bid. I know Houston and Dallas have made proposals, but they never went forth as an official bid with the IOC. Not with the IOC, but officially with the USOC, both Dallas & Houston submitted bids. Both Dallas & Houston for 2012, & just Houston for 2016. Houston's bid campaign for 2012 lasted over 2 years until the USOC cut them in favor of NYC & SF. Their 2016 bid was very short-lived when the USOC axed them (along with Philly) in a matter of weeks after interested cities submitted applications to the USOC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 It never really becomes official until it gets submitted to the IOC because then it bears the imprimatur of the USOC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 I just think that there's a big difference between bids that have actually been considered & evaluated by the USOC like Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles & Washington than off the wall ones that the USOC could care less about & wouldn't give them the time of day like Minneapolis, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Birmingham & the most silly & delusional of them all, Tulsa. Like you've said before, anybody can open their big mouth about wanting to bid for the Olympics, like Sta. Paquita, KS but that doesn't mean that they're gonna get any blip of attention from the USOC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 I believe the list I included were all official bids to the IOC. I know rules changed preventing countries from submitting more than one city went into effect some time ago, but there is a clear shift after the 1980's to not throw in an old city. Do any of you know much about Anchorage's 1992 and 1994 bids? They only received 7 votes in '92, but had the second highest in the first round in '94. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golan Trevize Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 More logos: Games Logos Bids Logos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 Do any of you know much about Anchorage's 1992 and 1994 bids? They only received 7 votes in '92, but had the second highest in the first round in '94. I once met the chairman of the Anchorage (I think '94) bid committee. Not meaning to be unkind, but kinda a colorless small-town huckster. I think if he (and his team) had been more charismatic, dynamic, that might have translated into a few more votes. I think the personalities of the main people are key if it comes down to a close vote. (First time I've seen the Reno*-Tahoe logo. Seems very St. Louis.) *Notice that Reno seems to take the lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golan Trevize Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 All voting results involving US cities bidding for the Winter Games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 It is interesting how pretty much all of Canada's votes, and some of Finland's vote went to Switzerland over Denver for the 1976 vote. My question to you is... If Denver didn't give up hosting for 1976, who would have hosted in 1980? Surely Lake Placid would not have been selected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 If we included that list, we would have well over 100 bids. Texas is a massive state, and it is a little surprising that they have never put forth an official bid. I know Houston and Dallas have made proposals, but they never went forth as an official bid with the IOC. There's been talk of Dallas trying again for 2020. As a resident of Dallas, I don't know if that would work. A Dallas USOC Bid would have to include the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Some of the facilities would be in place for a possible Summer Olympics. - American Airlines Center (Basketball) - Dr. Pepper Stars Center in Frisco, Texas (Indoor Volleyball or Gymnastics) - Pizza Hut Park (soccer prelims) - Cotton Bowl (soccer semifinals and medal games) - Fort Worth Convention Center (Indoor volleyball or gymnastics)- It would need major renovation. - Cowboys Stadium (opening and closing ceremonies, possible soccer medal games) - Rangers Ballpark (beach volleyball, it's hosted beach volleyball before) The problems would be to find venues for track and field, swimming, badminton, archery, fencing, cycling and other sports. It's not known if Cowboys Stadium is able to host track and field or even swimming (although Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones has said that it can host swimming, but that remains to be seen). Also, there really isn't much in the way of a public transportation system in the area. Logistically it could cause problems. Also, there really isn't much of anywhere in the area for an Olympic Village unless the Dallas Bid Committee decides to use the land around Cowboys Stadium and Rangers Ballpark (which is underdeveloped) for an Olympic Village in which after the games are over with, the village turns into a shopping/entertainment center. Dallas received high praise for hosting the recent NBA All Star game despite the weather. In February 2011, the NFL's Super Bowl comes to Dallas, at Cowboys Stadium, followed by the 2014 NCAA Final Four. Dallas is also mentioned as a part of the United States bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 The USOC has already said 'no' to a 2020 bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted March 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 If the IOC wants a spread out Olympics, Dallas would be a favorite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.