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U.S. Cities Capable of Bidding for an Olympics (Over the Next 30 Years)


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Maybe the US will host two Summer Olympics in that time -- if they're lucky. What's the point of listing so many cities?

Mainly just for fun. Also, you get those crazies who say... "so and so city has a chance", so maybe it is just a way to show the international folks where cities stand on the realm of possibility.

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It might not be enough to move it to the next line, but I'd rank Orlando ahead of Tampa. In spite of the small city population (it's between Mobile, Alabama and Lexington, Kentucky) Orlando has numerous facilities for venues (Cirus Bowl, the new on campus stadium at UCF, Amway Arena, etc.). Given UCF's growth rate, it might be the largest university in the country in terms of enrollment within a decade if it isn't already. The themeparks basically put Orlando on the map, and I'd imagine quite a few people outside the US have heard of DIsney World, and maybe even Sea World and Universal Studios as well. Tampa and St. Petersburg split the Tampa Bay area teams, and those have been supported to varying degrees.

The Orlando Magic would probably be due for a new arena if Orlando bids, so any new construction outside of UCF's campus could have some legacy uses as well. UCF could add Swimming and Diving for both genders, Women's Field Hockey, and Men's Track & Field to use any new facilities. UCF's women's rowing program even has a nice permanent facility on Lake Pickett (Lake Pickett might be a little short - the London rowing course was 2.2 km). There would be numerous other lakes nearby that could be used for rowing and sailing as well, and those events are inevitably the ones that get farmed out the farthest away from the host city.

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I almost wish the USOC would come up with their own list like this (who knows, they might already have?) so that cities would know what their chances are. That being said, I agree that the top two categories on your list are the ones with realistic chances.

Athens and I brought this up in the USA 2024 thread.. it's very possible they've done something like this. It seems like the rhetoric will be the USOC contacting cities to gauge their interest, not so much to have open bidding where anyone can throw their hat in the ring. The question then becomes what is the process. But either way, I think we're looking at a much more calculated process for 2024 (or whenever the US is next bidding for) than we've seen in the past.

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My question is why didn't you also include cities with NHL franchises? Not only are they one of the "Big 4", hockey players sometimes play in the Winter Olympics.

Other than the fact that they're in the midst of yet another lockout, they barely qualify as one of the big sports, especially south of the border. Canadian cities prop up the NHL's status in North America. But if we're talking just the United States, it's either the big 3. Or I've heard in recent years it's more like the big 7.. NFL, MLB, NBA, college football, college basketball, golf, and NASCAR (which may or may not deserve to be in that conversation these days)

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My question is why didn't you also include cities with NHL franchises? Not only are they one of the "Big 4", hockey players sometimes play in the Winter Olympics.

I'm pretty sure this thread is for 2024 olympics but I understand your point, especially because most hockey arenas can accommodate basketball and probably gymnastics.
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Other than the fact that they're in the midst of yet another lockout, they barely qualify as one of the big sports, especially south of the border.

Not to get off topic, but that's because they don't have a major TV contract. Sure, they have a contract with NBC, but they hardly show the games, and then they show games on NBCSportsNetwork, which nobody gets. Compared to MLB which is on ESPN, TBS and FOX, the NFL, which is on NBC, FOX, CBS, and ESPN, and the NBA, which is on ESPN, ABC, and TNT, and you can see why it's not that popular here.

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Not to get off topic, but that's because they don't have a major TV contract. Sure, they have a contract with NBC, but they hardly show the games, and then they show games on NBCSportsNetwork, which nobody gets. Compared to MLB which is on ESPN, TBS and FOX, the NFL, which is on NBC, FOX, CBS, and ESPN, and the NBA, which is on ESPN, ABC, and TNT, and you can see why it's not that popular here.

It works both ways. Hockey has always been, at best, the #4 sport in this country. They were on ESPN for awhile, but once they picked up the NBA, they started treating the NHL like dirt. To NBC Sports Network's credit, they're better off than you think. That "nobody" is 80 million homes. Well behind ESPN at 100 million and the broadcast networks around 113-114 million I believe, so it's not like some nothing cable channel. But yes, their local ratings outside of Canada and certain U.S. networks are pretty bad and their national ratings border on embarrassing sometimes.

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What would cities I listed in the 2nd tier need to do to be more credible candidates for a Summer bid?

Boston

Dallas

Houston

Miami

Philadelphia

Washington D.C

As of now, LA only seems like the more probable candidate, so it may come down to LA vs. one of more of the cities I listed in the "Strong Possibility"

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What would cities I listed in the 2nd tier need to do to be more credible candidates for a Summer bid?

I think the same advice would go for any city - start bidding for and hosting World Championships in individual sports in order to start getting a reputation for hosting, make contacts in the IFs and get some new venues up, or old ones refurbished.

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IDK if I'd consider Boston "2nd-tier". It's a pretty place & all, but other than that, it doesn't seem to have that 'wow' factor. Much like Seattle & San Diego.

The groupings are more like this:

1st Tier: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco.

2nd Tier: Washington DC, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta.

3rd Tier: San Diego, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis, Detroit, Tampa, Boston.

4th Tier: San Antonio, New Orleans, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Columbus, Orlando, Charlotte, Nashville.

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IDK if I'd consider Boston "2nd-tier". It's a pretty place & all, but other than that, it doesn't seem to have that 'wow' factor. Much like Seattle & San Diego.

The groupings are more like this:

1st Tier: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco.

2nd Tier: Washington DC, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta.

3rd Tier: San Diego, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis, Detroit, Tampa, Boston.

4th Tier: San Antonio, New Orleans, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Columbus, Orlando, Charlotte, Nashville.

Exactly. And why should the USOC and the IOC entertain cities any lower than Tier 1?? They already tried Atlanta and St. Louis, and people still complain...so why would they pick any city other than the Big 4 (or Philly)? :blink:

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I still think Miami has that certain something, but I'm not at all convinced they can pull of a bid technically. Dallas, Houston and DC can probably handle the technical requirements, but don't have as much of an x-factor. Philly is feeling increasingly legit to me.

I don't know that I'd put Boston in the second tier either....

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I think some are higher up the list than they probably deserve to be:

San Francisco - because it looks nice? If they use all of the Bay Area, it will be massively spread out. If they built a new stadium for the Raiders, then it will be the Oakland games or the Santa Clara games. If they can't get their act together for the 2016 USOC competition, then what chance do they have? California ... again - especially as the state is in financial trouble.

Chicago - rumours are they have no interest in 2024. The stadium was given the Rogge seal of approval which is the equivalent of a diplomatic smile behind gritted teeth.

Washington/Baltimore - whilst the IOC love capitals, this is possibly one they'd want to avoid. And apparently the climate is somewhat unattractive during the summer months. As a political city, could they come together for the Olympics?

and those undervalued ....

Boston - the reverse SF of the East Coast. Very packed but then so is East London and London still found an area to develop and regenerate. Lots of colleges to use facilities built. An East Coast city where the Olympics have not been before, and a potential regionalisation using the New England moniker. A major IOC sponsor Proctor & Gamble has a major subsidiary (Gillette) HQ'd in the city.

Seattle - better known than its size suggest. A number of venues downtown and the right climate (better to get wet than collapse of heat stroke). The new Arena beside Safeco and Century Link field adds to the look. A pity Husky Stadium is being redeveloped without the running track as if they'd retained that, it would have catapulted Seattle up the list. A load of local billionaires who could become involved in funding/sponsoring the games.

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I still think Miami has that certain something, but I'm not at all convinced they can pull of a bid technically.

Non-starter.

#1 - in the July and August hurricane belt.

#2 - All talk and no action. Tried to get a Fair for the Americas for 1976 going; nothing doing.

#3 - Until the Castros or their stooges are out of power, the local Cuban-Americans will RIOT before a bonafide Cuban team will play on their courts.

Even GOLDEN GIRLS footage was all shot in Burbank.

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I think some are higher up the list than they probably deserve to be:

San Francisco - because it looks nice? If they use all of the Bay Area, it will be massively spread out. If they built a new stadium for the Raiders, then it will be the Oakland games or the Santa Clara games. If they can't get their act together for the 2016 USOC competition, then what chance do they have? California ... again - especially as the state is in financial trouble.

Gee, Crusader/BS/kernoboy, u think u'd give it a rest.

Yes, SF is a POSSIBILITY because it is a scenic, world-class CITY that always ranks up there among the top 3 world destinations. You keep harping on this. SF was one of the 3 finalists for the 2016 U.S. race. The current president of the USOC is a Bay Area resident; SF is an int'l gateway. Yes, it may seem spread out but SF has a great transit system, BART, on which Atlanta's MARTA was patterned and was also studied by the Chunnel-Eurostar planners.

As you keep saying if Paul Allen can come forward for Seattle, then what's to stop Mark Zuckerberg or any of the Silicon Valley'/SF Bay Areas billionaires from stepping forward and financing a serious SF Olympic bid? Until the 49ers stadium deal collapsed, one of the nuts-and-bolts guys behind the SF bid was a technical expert who worked for the IOC (whom I met and he was glad to bring me into the early SF 2016 plan) that SF's compact downtown layout of myriad 4/5-star hotels, a convention center and great upscale shopping, great urban gathering places...were what the IOC was most comfortable with. (And I believe that person stayed on to call SF home afterwards.)

And finally, as a matter of fact, San Francisco is HOSTING next year's America's Cup, with Larry Ellison's Oracle Corp, footing some of the bill. But you DON'T GET IT, do you? And you wonder why other posters here all gang up on you. Absorb and PROCESS the input given you!! :rolleyes:

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Sorry Baron, you are now blocked for this comment made above. Please block me back so we don't need to read each other's comments.

He made some valid counter points against your argument, And yet you chose to conveniently take this easy way out. Sorry, but such actions don't validate your points.

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He made some valid counter points against your argument, And yet you chose to conveniently take this easy way out. Sorry, but such actions don't validate your points.

I didn't bother to read his counter points ... they may have been valid or challengeable. I may even have agreed with them.

But, once he made his initial comment which I highlighted, then I am not going to bother to read any further.

Same with every poster I've blocked. They can respond to my comments if they wish to waste their time, but it is their time.

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