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Anchorage, Alaska to explore possible 2026 Winter Bid


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WHo knows? But the fact is, Anchorage is a 2x LOSER. And even the USOC afterwards admitted it was too far away for their own post-Games use. That distance hasn't changed.

And who won the head-to-head battle between Anchorage and Reno (and Denver and Salt Lake) for the USOC nomination? Essentially, Anchorage lost the Miss Universe contest. Reno couldn't beat them for Miss USA!

So, you were saying?? And therefore, all the more reason to bring an Olympic Games to get such sorely needed venues. All of a sudden, all of you are playing 'blind' to the Legacy aspect of a city. ANd I'm sure if Reno had all the venues there, then you'd all turn around and give the 'Madrid' excuse -- they're there, why give it to them?? :wacko:

Oh, come on baron, really? Let's put the Summer Olympics in Tulsa then. Reno does not sorely NEED these venues. If that's their pitch, then any city on the planet could make that claim.

Here's what I find amusing about this whole thread.. are we still seriously talking about how pretty or tacky a city Reno is and basing their Olympic chances on that? I've never been to Reno before. I still only know 1 person who's been there more than once (who works as a television freelancer). When I bring up the idea of a Reno Olympics to him, he thinks that's a crazy idea, not because of how beautiful the city is or isn't but because it's still not really a big city. I know some will argue that doesn't matter because of Sochi and PC, but those cities are spending an obscene amount of money on their Olympics. Reno would not.

So if the USOC is looking for their candidate, it's the technical aspect that's likely to determine it. Reno's issues we've gone over ad nauseum. Anchorage is hardly a big city in its own right and would face many of the same issues. Denver has the city venues covered, but the mountain portion is an issue. Salt Lake would obviously have the best technical presentation, but there's little to add with an Olympics.

That's what these cities are up against. It just seems like an old, tired, and very stupid argument to discount Reno because of the perception as a "gaudy, tacky city." IMO it's not impossible that Reno-Tahoe could land an Olympics, but among the list of reasons to not give them an Olympics, I could think of about a dozen before I'd get to that one.

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That's what these cities are up against. It just seems like an old, tired, and very stupid argument to discount Reno because of the perception as a "gaudy, tacky city." IMO it's not impossible that Reno-Tahoe could land an Olympics, but among the list of reasons to not give them an Olympics, I could think of about a dozen before I'd get to that one.

U've got far more sense than some... ;)

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And who won the head-to-head battle between Anchorage and Reno (and Denver and Salt Lake) for the USOC nomination? Essentially, Anchorage lost the Miss Universe contest. Reno couldn't beat them for Miss USA!

Oh, come on baron, really? Let's put the Summer Olympics in Tulsa then. Reno does not sorely NEED these venues. If that's their pitch, then any city on the planet could make that claim.

I still only know 1 person who's been there more than once (who works as a television freelancer). When I bring up the idea of a Reno Olympics to him, he thinks that's a crazy idea, not because of how beautiful the city is or isn't but because it's still not really a big city. I know some will argue that doesn't matter because of Sochi and PC, but those cities are spending an obscene amount of money on their Olympics. Reno would not.

Not that im a total Reno supporter here. But unlike Tulsa, though, Reno actually could have a realistic shot at the WINTER Olympics. Something that Tulsa could only dream about in their Summer Olympics delusional fantansies.

We're talking about the Winter Olympics here afterall. Where smaller areas tend to host. While the last couple of Winter Olympics have gone to larger cities than usual, Switzerland before their 2022 bailout, was already being declared an early favorite with the smaller town settings of Davos & St. Moritz, which are even smaller than Reno, combined. Reno has issues but their smaller size is not one of them.

And yeah, Sochi & PyeongChang have much bigger budgets, but not every hosts after them are now gonna have infinites amounts of cash to pour on the Games bcuz of them. Just like not every Summer Olympics after Beijing are going to be an extravanganza that eclipses them, the same is going to be true for Sochi after their winter games. They're a mega- spending anamoly, especially Sochi, & surely the IOC recognizes this.

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Except they lost with Denver and Anchorage (2x with Anchorage). So except for SLC, the USOC has obviously picked wrong with Denver and Uncourage. And you forget that Squaw Valley was picked for 1960.

And you think that Grenoble, Albertville, Sochi, PC-Gangneung are 'beauties'? :rolleyes: Think again.

Salt Lake won. Denver won. No American city would've won the races Anchorage lost because the timing was lousy.

You're in denial about Reno.

As I wrote (and you conveniently omitted), Sochi and PC are giving the IOC a lot of great stuff that Reno never will.

All Olympic cities aren't beauties, but they aren't dull and tasteless like Reno.

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The only thing that could be said about that is, Lake Placid wouldn't have hosted 1980 then. After that, everything else would've been, more or less, be the same, as far as U.S. Winter Olympics are concerned.

I disagree. I think that a change to just one past host city would have an entire snowball effect on following elections and the bid cycle as a whole.

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Salt Lake won. Denver won. No American city would've won the races Anchorage lost because the timing was lousy.

You're in denial about Reno.

Pffffft. Some victory for Denver. :rolleyes: And what do they have to show for it? Nada but a lot of what-ifs and an albatross around its neck for any future bids. And don't think for one minute that its future rivals would let the IOC members forget that. If anything, what's left unsaid would probably be the biggest elephant in the room.

And I'm in denial? :rolleyes:

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I disagree. I think that a change to just one past host city would have an entire snowball effect on following elections and the bid cycle as a whole.

I said as far as U.S. Winter Olympic hostings are concerned, everything else other than Lake Placid 1980, would've for the the most part, remained the same. I wasn't talking about the whole process as a whole. I don't think Denver actually hosting 1976 would've had much impact on future "U.S." Winter Olympic hostings. We still probably would've had Salt Lake (Anchorage or even Reno) in there anyway.

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I said as far as U.S. Winter Olympic hostings are concerned, everything else other than Lake Placid 1980, would've for the the most part, remained the same. I wasn't talking about the whole process as a whole. I don't think Denver actually hosting 1976 would've had much impact on future "U.S." Winter Olympic hostings. We still probably would've had Salt Lake (Anchorage or even Reno) in there anyway.

Ah I misunderstood then. I'm shocked that the IOC would elect the United States again four years later after such an incredible gaffe that 1976 was.

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Lake Placid won by default. They were the only bid city for 1980. So they weren't so much a choice as a lack of option

Tough to figure if there would have been a ripple effect from Denver hosting in 1976 and Lake Placid not being in the picture for 1980. Maybe everything post-1984 would have been the aame, but the key question is who would have hosted 1980

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Well, that's the other thing. Like Summer 1984, Lake Placid was the only bidder that presented itself for the 1980 Winter Olympics. That's why I said other than Lake Placid hosting 1980. Unless the IOC would've solicited for bids cuz I don't think Lake Placid would've presented had Denver actually hosted.

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Well who would have hosted in 1980? We all know that the 1980's were probably the worst decade in Olympic history, what with the boycotts and lack of interest from cities. Could 1980 have gone with 0 bidders as opposed to 1 if 1976 had gone off in Denver? What would have happened with those games in '80? There are many unanswered questions that could have came from Denver hosting and Lake Placid not biddomg. It is possible that a 1976 games in Denver may have made the 1980's an even more tumultuous time in Olympic history as the 1980 Winter Games may have been bid-less. What I'm suggesting is that maybe 1976 going off in Innsbruck and the embarassment of Denver was a blessing in disguise for the IOC and the Olympics.

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Pretty sure most would argue the 70s were worse. The 80s at least had the highly succeasful Los Angeles games. Whereas the legacy of the 1970s were the Denver debacle, the Montreal Olympics, and a certain incident at the 1972 Olympics that pretty much top almost anything at any Olympics ever

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Pretty sure most would argue the 70s were worse. The 80s at least had the highly succeasful Los Angeles games. Whereas the legacy of the 1970s were the Denver debacle, the Montreal Olympics, and a certain incident at the 1972 Olympics that pretty much top almost anything at any Olympics ever

Well I think that's debatable. The boycotts and the apprehensiveness of cities to bid after Montreal's debacle really placed the future of the Olympic Games in doubt. Until JAS came in and commercialized the Olympic Games and turned a profit in LA, the Olympic Games were in a rough patch. Only 2 cities bid in 1980 and 1988 for the Summer Games, and only LA bid in 1984. Clearly LA improved cities outlook on the games, as 6 cities bid for 1992.

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Well, Sion, Switzerland, Tampere, Finland, and Vancouver all bid against Denver for '76, so perhaps one of those may have stepped up.

When Denver gave the IOC the finger, they quickly asked Vancouver-Garibaldi if they wanted to host. V-G said they were no longer interested. Salt Lake tried to step forward; the IOC said they were not interested in the US after the shafting. Then I believe they asked Sion. "No dice" said Sion. So they were all set to do another bidding when Innsbruck sent word that they were available.

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When Denver gave the IOC the finger, they quickly asked Vancouver-Garibaldi if they wanted to host. V-G said they were no longer interested. Salt Lake tried to step forward; the IOC said they were not interested in the US after the shafting. Then I believe they asked Sion. "No dice" said Sion. So they were all set to do another bidding when Innsbruck sent word that they were available.

Thing is, though, they were all asked only after Denver dropped out, at the end of 1972, which was only a little over three years before the games were to be held. By that time, a previous, games-ready host was probably their only realistic option anyway.

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Thing is, though, they were all asked only after Denver dropped out, at the end of 1972, which was only a little over three years before the games were to be held. By that time, a previous, games-ready host was probably their only realistic option anyway.

Correction. It's coming back to me now more clearly. After Sion said no, and indeed time was getting short; so they tried Innsbruck. Innsbruck's mayor said give them like 10 days for the City Council, etc., to meet and confer. They sorted out terms with the IOC, and the rest is history.

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Pffffft. Some victory for Denver. :rolleyes: And what do they have to show for it? Nada but a lot of what-ifs and an albatross around its neck for any future bids. And don't think for one minute that its future rivals would let the IOC members forget that. If anything, what's left unsaid would probably be the biggest elephant in the room.

And I'm in denial? :rolleyes:

Yes. You are.

Denver won over the USOC and the IOC then gave the Games back. It was bad manners 40 years ago, but there's no doubt that Denver is capable of winning because they've already done just that.

Reno has never even won over the USOC. Every single time the USOC has preferred other options and for very good reasons.

Ignore the fact that Reno is ugly and holds zero magnetism for international tourists. It still has next to nothing in the way of facilities and has repeatedly voiced plans to have venues sprawl all the way to Sacramento.

What's the appeal? Especially after the likes of Sochi and PC?

The only argument you've made that makes any sense is that beggars can't be choosers. You seem to hold out hope that no one else will bid and sad, pathetic Reno will win by default. Put all your eggs in that one basket and see how far it gets you. I'd take Anchorage in a heartbeat over Reno.

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I'd even take Bozeman over Reno.

New arenas for the Bobcats and their local junior ice hockey team ... a design like the Alerus Center for their football team which can temporarily host indoor sports and you are on your way to finding use for the facilities.

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I would choose Bozeman too. It would be a chance for that "small town village feel" (especially if Lake Placid is not possible) in a "city" that's deemed large enough.

The resorts:

Arenas:

  • Worthington Arena - Ice Hockey II (6,000)
  • Belgrade Events Center - Curling via temporary platform at floor level (4,000)
  • Bobcat Stadium - Ceremonies (35,000 - 40,000)

New venues:

  • New Arena - Figure Skating/Short Track Speed Skating I (12,000)
  • Speed Skating Oval - Speed Skating (6,000)
  • New Temporary Arena/Legacy Community Center - Ice Hockey I (10,000)
  • Biathlon/Cross Country Course
  • Ski Jumps
  • Sliding Center
  • Olympic Village at Montana State University
  • Media Village
  • Main Media Center
  • IOC Hotel
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I would choose Bozeman too. It would be a chance for that "small town village feel" (especially if Lake Placid is not possible) in a "city" that's deemed large enough.

The resorts:

Arenas:

  • Worthington Arena - Ice Hockey II (6,000)
  • Belgrade Events Center - Curling via temporary platform at floor level (4,000)
  • Bobcat Stadium - Ceremonies (35,000 - 40,000)

New venues:

  • New Arena - Figure Skating/Short Track Speed Skating I (12,000)
  • Speed Skating Oval - Speed Skating (6,000)
  • New Temporary Arena/Legacy Community Center - Ice Hockey I (10,000)
  • Biathlon/Cross Country Course
  • Ski Jumps
  • Sliding Center
  • Olympic Village at Montana State University
  • Media Village
  • Main Media Center
  • IOC Hotel

If you look at the metro are it comes in at about 90,000 people. Helena the state capital with a metro population of 75,000 people is less than 100miles away, and another 35,000 people live in Butte. Billings with a metro population of over 160,000 people is just over 140miles from Bozeman.

So although Bozeman is a small town, there is at least 360,000 people within a 2.5hr drive.

I think the Lillehammer/original Pyeonchang idea of ski jump site hosting the ceremonies might work - or maybe even a fully temporary arena for ceremonies could be built.

As for the venues

Skating = 15,000 seats converted post games to be the home of the Bobcats Football Team ... possible examples include FargoDome, Alerus Center in North Dakota. Final of the Ice Hockey

Hockey1 = 10,000 seats ... temporary arena to be disassembled and moved afterwards in similar fashion to 2014 and 2018 venues

Hockey 2 = 8,000 seats .... new arena replace the Worthington Arena

Speed Skating = 8,000 seats ... post-games multitude use facility including small ice hockey arena for Bozeman Ice Dogs

Curling = 4,000 seats @ Belgrade Events Center

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