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U.S. Winter Bid for 2022 or 2026


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I just thought it was funny that you had visited my profile, and the rep point was down from earlier after your response. I don't care, I just thought it was comical. Anyway, I am not going to accuse you of anything. It doesn't matter. It is a frivolous option to begin with.

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^^^

But are they working on reshaping their tacky/cheap image?

Well, to be honest the place has never seemed that tacky to me. Sure some of the older joints are but the newer, bigger places for the most part are not. The old places are mostly in the process of remodeling.

I suppose we would need to define "tacky" more precisely and what do you mean by "cheap?"

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Why not hold the the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake again? They were great there, Park City and the mountains are very close to SLC (Unlike Vancouver's 3 hour ride to Whistler), plus Salt Lake has changed a lot over the past couple of years. Mass transit has grown tons, and within a few years their light rail system, Trax, will be extended to the airport, meaning someone could just take light-rail right to downtown SLC, or even the University of Utah (Where a lot went on during 2002) from the airport. Downtown has undergone a huge, couple billion dollar redevelopment called City Creek Center. Most important Salt Lake has all the facilities already, this could save millions in costs, and all they would have to do is update. The Winter Games of 2002 were some of the few that actually made money. I just really think Salt Lake is a great place for hosting large events!

Remember this?

2002_Winter_Olympics.jpg

Here is the new City Creek Center! Part of the Downtown Rising Project in SLC. Since it snows a lot in SLC, City Creek has giant windows which can enclose the entire mall during the winter, a plus for visitors during the Winter.

propertyphoto.jpg

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[quote name='nykfan845' date='27 March 2010 - 05:34 AM' timestamp='1269664489' post='261859'

And this "tackiness" thing is done to death. I think people are making it out to be a bigger deal than it really is.

Of course you don't think tackiness is that big a deal. Your avatar is JOANNE for crying out loud....

Really odd. Dunno why when I posted, it replaced nykfan's quote w/ my comment. Oh well.

Calidude, everybody enjoyed Salt Lake. Unfortunately, it's not just a question of who CAN host, but who does the IOC WANT to host. They're not going to choose to return to the exact same city only 20 years later. It's been tough enough getting them to come back to the same COUNTRY.

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Don't dis my Joanne!

But seriously, aren't we over and done with a topic that generally has little relevance on the bid overall?

I'm not dissing Joanne. She totally cracked me up. (but you gotta admit she has a flair for tackiness...)

Here's the reason for the disagreement: you say "tackiness" has little relevance on the bid, but some of us feel it's very relevant. The whole question is "does the IOC want to go this city?" I think its fair to ask if Reno is just too cheesy a destination. It definitely is a hurdle that the prospective bid must overcome if it's going to succeed.

LOL! I've wondered about your avatar, nykfan. Who is tis Joanne!

She provides much needed comic relief in the movie "Precious."

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Well, to be honest the place has never seemed that tacky to me. Sure some of the older joints are but the newer, bigger places for the most part are not. The old places are mostly in the process of remodeling.

I suppose we would need to define "tacky" more precisely and what do you mean by "cheap?"

I agree....I don't think most people here have spent much time there.

Why not hold the the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake again? They were great there, Park City and the mountains are very close to SLC (Unlike Vancouver's 3 hour ride to Whistler), plus Salt Lake has changed a lot over the past couple of years. Mass transit has grown tons, and within a few years their light rail system, Trax, will be extended to the airport, meaning someone could just take light-rail right to downtown SLC, or even the University of Utah (Where a lot went on during 2002) from the airport. Downtown has undergone a huge, couple billion dollar redevelopment called City Creek Center. Most important Salt Lake has all the facilities already, this could save millions in costs, and all they would have to do is update. The Winter Games of 2002 were some of the few that actually made money. I just really think Salt Lake is a great place for hosting large events!

Remember this?

2002_Winter_Olympics.jpg

Here is the new City Creek Center! Part of the Downtown Rising Project in SLC. Since it snows a lot in SLC, City Creek has giant windows which can enclose the entire mall during the winter, a plus for visitors during the Winter.

I'm in Salt Lake right now and it's looking better than ever. 12" new snow last night at snowbird and blue skies and SUN all day today, low temp so nothing wet-out.......nothing like it. I took a few [pic around town and of Olympic "stuff".....will post later.

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The spurning by the IOC on the US in recent memory has many American Olympic fans, the USOC, and potential bid/organizing committee "grasping for their groins" so to speak, but time heals all wounds...whether it will happen by the 2022 elections is too be seen. All i know is that IOC and USOC relations need to improve their relations of course, and with the global rotation Canada or another North American country must not win a bid before the US does for any hope of another US Olympics, summer or winter. Here are my opinions for 2022:

Denver could be a strong candidate...if it wasn't for the spurning back in '76 (Boy what a bad year it was for the Olympic Movement). Denver has to show a lot of support and/or guarantees if it is to be a serious contender to show the IOC that they won't spurn them again.

Reno-Tahoe has a pretty good shot. Tahoe has plenty of world class resorts, but I'm not really keen on Reno. But then again, we've seen stranger host cities that the IOC chose...but not a guarantee.

Anchorage would in theory be a great location, but with the Olympics so huge these days, small cities don't cut it these days.

Lake Placid has plenty of host experience, but will the IOC be willing to go there a third time (Then again they gave it to London thrice).

Salt Lake would be a great host again, although looking in the history of Olympic hosts cities, few cities have hosted two games in such a small timeframe. Not to mention that the scandal and the days of bribing to be a host are still fresh in the IOC's minds.

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I think Team USA Fan's post reveals the fact that there are no stand-out winter candidates.

Regarding Denver, it all depends on whether there is any passion and energy to drive the bid. The '76 debacle is fairly far in the past and it might be possible for them to overcome it, but it would be a risk.

Regarding Reno, (it will not be named Reno-Tahoe) Tahoe's gorgeous, Reno is uninspired at best. It's not likely to be an international draw, but many have argued that this is irrelevant. It's certainly not a slam-dunk and doesn't even really have the makings of a front-runner.

Regarding Anchorage, it's a small city but there may be enough resources to make improvements if there is enough will to carry them out. At this point,though, Anchorage doesn't seem terribly passionate. Have to admit that an Alaskan Olympics sounds very appealing.

Regarding Salt Lake, it just isn't going to happen -- certainly not so soon.

Regarding Lake Placid, they don't really have the infrastructure for a present day Games and the village would be a significant issue.

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An Alaskan Olympics sounds appealing to me too, even though many here say it would be Vancouver 2.0

I don't think of it that way... it would be "The Last Frontier Olympics". Anchorage is bigger than Reno, and arguably has a better economy too. I don't know much about their ski resorts, and the public would have to show a bit more interest before further consideration.

I think their is a lot of potential for legacy up there too.

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An Alaskan Olympics sounds appealing to me too, even though many here say it would be Vancouver 2.0

I don't think of it that way... it would be "The Last Frontier Olympics". Anchorage is bigger than Reno, and arguably has a better economy too. I don't know much about their ski resorts, and the public would have to show a bit more interest before further consideration.

I think their is a lot of potential for legacy up there too.

Whakinda night life does Anchorage offer? I mean that is where--for all those IOC members (probably about 1/3rd of them) coming from countires that don't particularly care where they are going to be held--Reno will be a more attractive candidate! At least Reno offers gambling and girlie shows apres ski. And their spouses (of the non-interested IOC members) can go to San Francisco easily enough for a few days for great shopping and other distractions!!

What are Anhorage and Denver? BORING cities after dark.

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If nightlife is the criteria, any of these cities would have a tough time. Reno may have more quantity, but the quality is pretty dubious. Apart from some place like Pyeongchang, just about any foreign city would trump those hypothetical U.S. possibilities in terms of nightlife.

Isn't the nightlife beefed up for the Games anyway? In addition to concerts and public plazas, places stay open later, offer more. 7 years is plenty of time to increase the offerings....

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Isn't the nightlife beefed up for the Games anyway? In addition to concerts and public plazas, places stay open later, offer more. 7 years is plenty of time to increase the offerings....

Yes but certainly if you already have the venues (the theatres, the clubs, etc.) in place, then you are ahead of those who don't and you will most probably be upgrading those vs. those who will be putting nightlife venues fresh just in time for the Games. And I'm sure the Harrah's and Ballys of Reno will have an edge in booking headliners vs. new, untested clubs w/o connections.

For me, it's a positive (distraction) in winning the crucial votes of those IOC'ers who couldn't care less which snowy mountain peaks the WOGs are played in.

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Why not Sacramento?

You could host everything but the mountain events there, which would be held at Lake Tahoe, which is two hours away, the same distance as Vancouver was from Whistler. It's a bigger city than Reno, more pleasant, plus, it's within driving distance for the large population in the SF Bay Area.

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Why not Sacramento?

You could host everything but the mountain events there, which would be held at Lake Tahoe, which is two hours away, the same distance as Vancouver was from Whistler. It's a bigger city than Reno, more pleasant, plus, it's within driving distance for the large population in the SF Bay Area.

Sacramento doesn't have a stadium in which would serve for opening and closing ceremonies.

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Why not Sacramento?

Because the key to a competitive Winter bid is to pair the slopes area with the closest metropolitan area (which has the Convention Center, the hotels, the other ice venues...which Reno feels it can put together) and that happens to be Reno, which I guess if they keep the express lanes open, is under an hour even in winter. Sacramento is at least 2.5 hours west. That's why.

Besides, it's the Reno city fathers, not Sacramento (which does not have the money), who are spearheading and financing the bid, taking Tahoe under the bid's wing.

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Regarding Reno, (it will not be named Reno-Tahoe) Tahoe's gorgeous, Reno is uninspired at best. It's not likely to be an international draw, but many have argued that this is irrelevant.

You've misinterpreted that. It's not that it's "irrelevant", but rather it doesn't seem as an *important* factor for the Winter Games, since the topography of the candidates takes precedence.

Surely, you'd have to agree that Salzburg (& even Pyeong Chang) has far more "international draw" than Sochi does, but yet it was purely politics that sent it Sochi's way.

Nobody knows yet what the dynamics would be of a 2022 Winter race (that could include Reno) would be. In other words, just like Sochi, perhaps politics could send it Reno's way too despite it's "tacky & non-charming" appeal.

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I think that the IOC members' general ignorance was a big advantage for Sochi. It seems the IOC heard "seaside resort", "snow and sun" and not much else. Plus, Russia had just lost rather embarrassingly in 2012 and for a winter sports powerhouse, they seemed woefully overdue for their first WOG.

PC was still very close in the vote, but is hardly much of a tourist draw itself.

Salzburg is a definite tourist draw, but most had concluded that it had the weakest bid and by far the least public support. Plus, the Austrian ski team was experiencing all sorts of embarrassment at the time.

I'm not saying that Reno has zero chance. I just think there are a lot of other things that have to fall exactly the right way to offset the negative impact of the city's perceived character.

Still, I question using Sochi as justification for Reno. Think about what we're all saying about Sochi now. Is that what we want the world saying about Reno? Especially considering it would probably be our only domestic Games in a 40 year period? (2002-2040 at the earliest.)

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I think that the IOC members' general ignorance was a big advantage for Sochi. It seems the IOC heard "seaside resort", "snow and sun" and not much else. Plus, Russia had just lost rather embarrassingly in 2012 and for a winter sports powerhouse, they seemed woefully overdue for their first WOG.

PC was still very close in the vote, but is hardly much of a tourist draw itself.

Salzburg is a definite tourist draw, but most had concluded that it had the weakest bid and by far the least public support. Plus, the Austrian ski team was experiencing all sorts of embarrassment at the time.

I'm not saying that Reno has zero chance. I just think there are a lot of other things that have to fall exactly the right way to offset the negative impact of the city's perceived character.

Still, I question using Sochi as justification for Reno. Think about what we're all saying about Sochi now. Is that what we want the world saying about Reno? Especially considering it would probably be our only domestic Games in a 40 year period? (2002-2040 at the earliest.)

It is what it is. Other than your selfish pie-in-the-sky Summer Games (which US city other than LA is really set to build a T&F stadium in the next decade or so??), can you offer some other realistic COMPLETE competitive package? There isn't.

Get real, Athensfan.

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