USA 2024

[Athensfan]

The basic issue with San Francisco is that it looks and feels like a perfect host for the Games. Unfortunately, the political climate is such that it's unlikely they will ever be able to resolve the logistical and organizational challenges that are part of any Olympics.

[Usa2024olympics]

The basic issue with San Francisco is that it looks and feels like a perfect host for the Games. Unfortunately, the political climate is such that it's unlikely they will ever be able to resolve the logistical and organizational challenges that are part of any Olympics.

And for recent times, the 49ers just got a new stadium. Although Oakland is in dire need for new stadiums.

[Team USA]

Well then why does your signature say, "Bring the Olympics back to the USA , SAN FRANCISCO 2024" ?

Um there a difference from wanting it here than thinking it will actually happen

[gotosy]

USOC trying to narrow potential 2024 candidates

(Reuters) - The United States Olympic Committee has not decided whether it will bid for the 2024 Summer Games but said on Tuesday it hopes to narrow down a list of cities capable of winning a bid within the next couple months.

Interest in bringing the Olympics back to the United States is gaining momentum both at home and among International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

"It is a very informal process and our goal is to make a decision (on whether to proceed) by the end of the year and there haven't been any formal deadlines or submissions," USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun said on a conference call.

"The dialogue is really around which cities do we think can put together a bid that is going to be a fantastic bid and which cities do we think have the opportunity to win.

"Before we make a final decision we need to get into fairly detailed discussions with hopefully a smaller number of cities so our objective is to be in that position within the next couple of months."

The USOC sent letters to the mayors of America's 35 biggest cities last year to gauge interest in bidding for the 2024 Games and has been tight-lipped ever since about the response calling the process "informal."

Several cities are believed to have thrown their hats into the ring, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and San Diego but as yet no preferred candidate has been identified.

Blackmun's comments come amid reports that the USOC is preparing to have a short list of two or three cities as early as next month and hopes to have settled on a candidate city by the end of 2014 or early next year.

But if the USOC feels there is no bid capable of landing the 2024 Games the organization will turn its focus to a 2026 Winter Olympics.

The last Olympics staged in the United States were the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games.

The United States has not hosted a Summer Games since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and can expect stiff competition if it does enter the 2024 race with potential bids coming from Rome, Paris, Doha and Durban, South Africa.

The IOC has encouraged the United States to submit a candidate but the USOC will want firmer support before proceeding.

Blackmun said the USOC was not yet factoring in global politics into any decision on whether to go forward with a bid but the organization will eventually take a long hard look at the political climate after embarrassing rebukes the last two time the they put forward bids.

The USOC has spent several years patching up strained relationships with the IOC after New York's bid for the 2012 Games and Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics were rejected.

"We have heard plenty of encouragement from multiple IOC members about a U.S. bid so I think IOC membership is favorably inclined towards us at least considering going forward," said USOC chairman Larry Probst.

...

Reuters

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/olympics/sns-rt-us-olympics-usoc-20140408,0,1957036.story

[baron-pierreIV]

If Durban pipes up for 2024, then the scramble is on for 2026.

[Athensfan]

If Durban pipes up for 2024, then the scramble is on for 2026.

Not necessarily. It's all quite murky now.

Plus, with Rio facing so many problems, do you really think the IOC is going to rush to shots that is likely to struggle even more? Perhaps, but it's looking more doubtful. I believe that Rio could well affect SA's chances.

Correction: rush to a host that is likely to struggle even more

[baron-pierreIV]

Not necessarily. It's all quite murky

Plus, with Rio facing so many problems, do you really think the IOC is going to rush to shots that is likely to struggle even more? Perhaps, but it's looking more doubtful. I believe that Rio could well affect SA's chances.

Correction: rush to a host that is likely to struggle even more

RSA made all their deadlines to WC 2010 and other international conferences there seemingly w/o probs. You forget that once Durban says go, it has the whole might of 50+ nations behind it.

[Athensfan]

RSA made all their deadlines to WC 2010 and other international conferences there seemingly w/o probs. You forget that once Durban says go, it has the whole might of 50+ nations behind it.

A.) The WC is a totally different type of event -- as Rio is learning. Success with the WC does not ensure success with an Olympic Games.

B.) I'm not forgetting it would be the first African Olympics and that many African nations would be on board. Some posters have alleged that the rest of the continent is experiencing a degree of "SA fatigue," but I don't know how much validity there is to that claim. If Rio continues to be problematic, I can imagine the Africans saying "The last thing we want to do is subject ourselves to the same position." You forget that it's all about 50% plus one in the voting -- not the number of nations. I think a great deal depends on how much of a problem Rio turns out to be.

C.) Just as the WC is diverting attention from Olympic planning in Rio, CWG could detract from SA's focus where the Olympics are concerned -- particularly if they try to do a 2022/2024 double. I suspect the IOC would be ESPECIALLY wary of this scenario based on Rio's issues. Granted, there's considerably more overlap between the needs of a CWG and an Olympics than there is between a WC and the Olympics -- provided the CWG and Olympics are hosted by the same city. Even so, I think it will be a consideration.

If the IOC experiences too many problems (not just with Rio, but with 2022 as well) they may just reach a level of fatigue that motivates the majority of them to target "safe and reliable."

[zekekelso]

You forget that once Durban says go, it has the whole might of 50+ nations behind it.

What the heck are you talking about?

[baron-pierreIV]

If the IOC experiences too many problems (not just with Rio, but with 2022 as well) they may just reach a level of fatigue that motivates the majority of them to target "safe and reliable."

well, yeah...if you have any "safe and reliable" cities who would want to run against Durban. The only ones I see foolish enough to do that are Doha and Baku. Which would the IOC pick? Remember,Doha would be busy with WC 2022; Baku might get Winter 2022; and Durban CWG 2022. So if it were those 3, which one do you think the IOC would pick? I still say the last one alphabetically.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Not necessarily. It's all quite murky now.

Plus, with Rio facing so many problems, do you really think the IOC is going to rush to shots that is likely to struggle even more? Perhaps, but it's looking more doubtful. I believe that Rio could well affect SA's chances.

Correction: rush to a host that is likely to struggle even more

I can't see and don't agree with the scenario that Rio's issues can affect Durban's chances. Rio caused the problem alone, so it's wrong for the IOC to 'Punish' Durban. You sound like Gold Coast Lions with his theory that Delhi 2010 will affect Durban 2022, it's a crazy theory. It's even more crazy then Lord David's theory that Rome will get punished if they Bid for 2024, because they withdrew their 2020 Bid, it's not going to happen, otherwise Almaty is completely in trouble for 2022.

well, yeah...if you have any "safe and reliable" cities who would want to run against Durban. The only ones I see foolish enough to do that are Doha and Baku. Which would the IOC pick? Remember,Doha would be busy with WC 2022; Baku might get Winter 2022; and Durban CWG 2022. So if it were those 3, which one do you think the IOC would pick? I still say the last one alphabetically.

Baku Winter 2022?

[StefanMUC]

Baku Winter 2022???

Aren't you mixing up Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan here?

[baron-pierreIV]

Baku Winter 2022???

Aren't you mixing up Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan here?

My bad. All those -stans come out the same. OK, so Baku won't have anything for 2022...but if Durban gets CWG 2022; then the IOC won't be having apoplexy that test events for 2023 would be endangered. So that's another feather in Durban's hat.

[StefanMUC]

My bad. All those -stans come out the same. OK, so Baku won't have anything for 2022...but if Durban gets CWG 2022; then the IOC won't be having apoplexy that test events for 2023 would be endangered. So that's another feather in Durban's hat.

Agree, 2022 CWG would be the perfect test run.

[Athensfan]

well, yeah...if you have any "safe and reliable" cities who would want to run against Durban. The only ones I see foolish enough to do that are Doha and Baku. Which would the IOC pick? Remember,Doha would be busy with WC 2022; Baku might get Winter 2022; and Durban CWG 2022. So if it were those 3, which one do you think the IOC would pick? I still say the last one alphabetically.

You don't get it. If Rio is a big enough mess, the IOC will be too nervous to vote for Durban -- at least not for 2024. That handwriting could be on the wall in plenty if time for other reputable bidders to line up.

[Quaker2001]

RSA made all their deadlines to WC 2010 and other international conferences there seemingly w/o probs. You forget that once Durban says go, it has the whole might of 50+ nations behind it.

well, yeah...if you have any "safe and reliable" cities who would want to run against Durban. The only ones I see foolish enough to do that are Doha and Baku. Which would the IOC pick? Remember,Doha would be busy with WC 2022; Baku might get Winter 2022; and Durban CWG 2022. So if it were those 3, which one do you think the IOC would pick? I still say the last one alphabetically.

Not everyone is so convinced as you are that if Durban were to bid for 2024 (and that's still very much an 'if'), every other sensible nation will pack their bags and get out of the way as quick as they can. South Africa is not as unbeatable as you've made them out to be. I don't like the odds if the USOC puts up a bid against them, but there's at least a couple of cities in Europe (Paris chief among them) that could make a pretty good case against them. I think we'd be looking at more than Baku, Doha, and Durban for 2024. A Paris or a Rome might look at that field and take their chances.

Agree, 2022 CWG would be the perfect test run.

Yes and no. 2 problems here. Let's say Durban bids for and gets the 2022 CWG. The 2024 Olympics will be awarded in 2017. The 2028 Olympics are awarded in 2021. So will the IOC want to take that chance that everything goes well with the CWG prior to Durban hosting an Olympics? What if it doesn't go well. Now they'll have locked themselves into a situation that may not turn out so well for them. And would the IOC feel comfortable about Durban's 7 years of prep time for the 2024 Olympics if the first 5 years of that are focused on the CWG?

Beyond that though.. part of the reason South Africa didn't bid for 2020 as some were expecting was because they weren't ready to make the financial commitment to an Olympics. As much as a CWG would lay the groundwork for an Olympics in terms of venues, there are still a lot of costs such as security that aren't a 2-for-1 special. So now instead of paying for 1 mega-event, a country and a city will be paying for 2 of them. That may not be the smartest decision for a country that doesn't exactly have a ton of money to throw around.

[Athensfan]

Agree, 2022 CWG would be the perfect test run.

I agree too, but the IOC would have to award 2024 to Durban 5 years before the CWGs take place. There would be no way to know beforehand whether they could pull it off or not. If Durban waited to bid for 2032, that vote would take place in 2025 and the CWGs would be a matter of record rather than prognostication.

[Quaker2001]

You don't get it. If Rio is a big enough mess, the IOC will be too nervous to vote for Durban -- at least not for 2024. That handwriting could be on the wall in plenty if time for other reputable bidders to line up.

I don't know that Rio's issues would affect a South Africa bid. I get what you're saying about IOC members being nervous about another new frontier, but it would have to be a pretty big mess for that to register. In spite of their issues in the lead-up (and how often do we see a host that DOESN'T have issues in their preparation), we're still 2 years away from when it really matters. Even still, I don't think what's going on with Rio projects onto South Africa. Now if the IOC voters are nervous about South Africa, that's a different story. But IMO, I can't see them being too concerned simply because a different host country/city is having problems. I don't think that necessarily puts Durban and South Africa under a bigger microscope than they'd already be viewed with in the first place.

[baron-pierreIV]

That may not be the smartest decision for a country that doesn't exactly have a ton of money to throw around.

I'm sure they're crunching the numbers; and doncha think they're learned a thing or 2 from 2010 in terms of staging a global event before shooting for the next one? Just get the Cullinan mine to up their output a little.

[Quaker2001]

To try and focus this thread back on the United States instead of turning yet another US Olympic discussion into a debate about Durban, there was an interesting line in the latest news about the USOC..

But if the USOC feels there is no bid capable of landing the 2024 Games the organization will turn its focus to a 2026 Winter Olympics.

We can argue whether or not this is a smart decision, but it does answer 1 question of whether or not the USOC is solely focused on landing a Summer Olympics. Seems like the answer to that question is no and you can be sure there are folks in no less than 4 cities that are undoubtedly rooting for the USOC to pass on 2024 and to give a 2026 Winter bid a much closer look.

[Quaker2001]

I'm sure they're crunching the numbers; and doncha think they're learned a thing or 2 from 2010 in terms of staging a global event before shooting for the next one? Just get the Cullinan mine to up their output a little.

It's a much different type of event though. Spreading an event across the country has a much different dynamic than trying to accommodate hundreds of thousands of visitors into a single city. I'm sure they learned plenty from the FIFA World Cup (less we forget they also had the Rugby World Cup 2 decades ago.. not quite the same scale as a FIFA WC, but it's hosting nonetheless). Yes, they're being very calculated about when they bid, but they're still a country with a GDP far smaller than every Summer Olympics host of the last half century save for Greece. Construction costs for the 2010 World Cup were around $1 billion. How much more is an Olympics going to cost them, even in a city like Durban which has a stadium and the beginnings of an Olympic park ready to go.

[baron-pierreIV]

It's a much different type of event though. Spreading an event across the country has a much different dynamic than trying to accommodate hundreds of thousands of visitors into a single city. I'm sure they learned plenty from the FIFA World Cup (less we forget they also had the Rugby World Cup 2 decades ago.. not quite the same scale as a FIFA WC, but it's hosting nonetheless). Yes, they're being very calculated about when they bid, but they're still a country with a GDP far smaller than every Summer Olympics host of the last half century save for Greece. Construction costs for the 2010 World Cup were around $1 billion. How much more is an Olympics going to cost them, even in a city like Durban which has a stadium and the beginnings of an Olympic park ready to go.

They hosted the All-Africa Games in Johannesburg in 1999 also.

[Athensfan]

I don't know that Rio's issues would affect a South Africa bid. I get what you're saying about IOC members being nervous about another new frontier, but it would have to be a pretty big mess for that to register. In spite of their issues in the lead-up (and how often do we see a host that DOESN'T have issues in their preparation), we're still 2 years away from when it really matters. Even still, I don't think what's going on with Rio projects onto South Africa. Now if the IOC voters are nervous about South Africa, that's a different story. But IMO, I can't see them being too concerned simply because a different host country/city is having problems. I don't think that necessarily puts Durban and South Africa under a bigger microscope than they'd already be viewed with in the first place.

You could be right. It depends on how things unfold. The IOC embraced Rio with a great deal of optimism. Brazil is arguably in much better shape than South Africa. If Rio has significant problems I think it could make the IOC say "We got a little carried away last time. SA is even more uncertain than Brazil was. At the very least, let's see what happens with the CWG first."

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

You don't get it. If Rio is a big enough mess, the IOC will be too nervous to vote for Durban -- at least not for 2024. That handwriting could be on the wall in plenty if time for other reputable bidders to line up.

Completely disagree. Durban and Rio are two different Cities. Rio won't be a factor for Durban.

Not everyone is so convinced as you are that if Durban were to bid for 2024 (and that's still very much an 'if'), every other sensible nation will pack their bags and get out of the way as quick as they can. South Africa is not as unbeatable as you've made them out to be. I don't like the odds if the USOC puts up a bid against them, but there's at least a couple of cities in Europe (Paris chief among them) that could make a pretty good case against them. I think we'd be looking at more than Baku, Doha, and Durban for 2024. A Paris or a Rome might look at that field and take their chances.

Yes and no. 2 problems here. Let's say Durban bids for and gets the 2022 CWG. The 2024 Olympics will be awarded in 2017. The 2028 Olympics are awarded in 2021. So will the IOC want to take that chance that everything goes well with the CWG prior to Durban hosting an Olympics? What if it doesn't go well. Now they'll have locked themselves into a situation that may not turn out so well for them. And would the IOC feel comfortable about Durban's 7 years of prep time for the 2024 Olympics if the first 5 years of that are focused on the CWG?

Beyond that though.. part of the reason South Africa didn't bid for 2020 as some were expecting was because they weren't ready to make the financial commitment to an Olympics. As much as a CWG would lay the groundwork for an Olympics in terms of venues, there are still a lot of costs such as security that aren't a 2-for-1 special. So now instead of paying for 1 mega-event, a country and a city will be paying for 2 of them. That may not be the smartest decision for a country that doesn't exactly have a ton of money to throw around.

Not necessarily. Alot of the Venues for the Commonwealth Games would be re-used for the Olympics, so it's killing two birds with one stone as such. They are preparing for both at the same time.

I don't know that Rio's issues would affect a South Africa bid. I get what you're saying about IOC members being nervous about another new frontier, but it would have to be a pretty big mess for that to register. In spite of their issues in the lead-up (and how often do we see a host that DOESN'T have issues in their preparation), we're still 2 years away from when it really matters. Even still, I don't think what's going on with Rio projects onto South Africa. Now if the IOC voters are nervous about South Africa, that's a different story. But IMO, I can't see them being too concerned simply because a different host country/city is having problems. I don't think that necessarily puts Durban and South Africa under a bigger microscope than they'd already be viewed with in the first place.

In theory, Rio has just over a year left of preparation, seeing as though test events are next year.

[Athensfan]

Yes, Rio and Durban are different cities.

Brazil's economy (IMF): #7 in the world

South Africa's economy (IMF): #25 in the world

Rio hosted the 2007 PanAm Games prior to being elected to host 2016 in 2009.

South Africa has never hosted a comparable multi-sport international event (i.e. the Commonwealth Games) and will not be able to do so prior to the election of the 2024 host.

If anything, Rio should be BETTER positioned to deliver the technical components of the Games than Durban. If Rio continues to have serious problems, it has to make the IOC think twice about working with Durban.

It's one thing to take a risk from a position of strength, but if the IOC feels the Olympic Movement is starting to lose steam (few qualified bidders, OWG issues, too many consecutive Games in Asia, dwindling western audiences, unhappy sponsors) they will be more likely to be risk averse.

We don't know yet what will happen with Rio, but I believe it may impact Durban's chances at 2024.