IOC President Bach Open To Bids From Cities Where Venues Are Separated By Thousands of Miles

[FYI]

Well it's not barren like Albertville and Lillehammer were, and what Pyeongchang might be, so I highly doubt that would be much of a factor.

Exactly (& yeah, Sochi is another good example). And considering that Gangneung (where all the ice sports will be for Pyeongchang 2018) is anything but "glamorous", Albany is like a NYC in comparison.

Also see barren Squaw Valley, surprising beating out at the time, picturesque Innsbruck for the 1960 Winter Olympics. Hypothetically speaking, if an Albany/Lake Placid package was on the table for 2022, the IOC would've voted for it hands down over Beijing & Almaty!

[runningrings]

Not an entirely bad idea.

For instance, if Melbourne or Brisbane were to bid in the next 20 years, and Slalom was still on the roster, they'd be wise to utilise Penrith Lakes in Sydney (a legacy from 2000) in their bids.

[WarpedReality]

The idea of an Albany-Lake Placid team-up sounds good to me.

Actually, Boston/Killington might get a second view this winter when Boston hosts the 2016 World Figure Skating Championships. I am sure there are a few boosters there who might sell the idea that a WOG makes more sense for Boston than a SOGs.

Granted, Bostonians are quite crabby after the SOG bid fiasco, but Boston makes much more sense as a host for the ice events than Albany. Unlike the summer bid, there won't be any silly discussions about velodromes or T&F stadia without legacies. The potential hosts out West certainly offer better options, but I think Boston/Killington remains the best chance of a winter Olympics in the eastern half of North America so long as the IOC is willing to bend the rules for the Stockhom/Ares of the world.

[Quaker2001]

Another big problem with Albany is that it's Albany. No IOC voter is going to want to throw their big party there.

No kidding. If distance is suddenly not an issue, why stop at Albany. Go straight down to NYC at that point. If we're at the point where we are comparing Albany to Lillehammer or saying how they would have won the 2022 bid, this is a ridiculous line of discussion. Because the USOC needs to pick them first. The USOC isn't backing a bid with Albany. I mean, I'm having trouble finding the right meme to describe just how stupid that idea is.

Granted, Bostonians are quite crabby after the SOG bid fiasco, but Boston makes much more sense as a host for the ice events than Albany. Unlike the summer bid, there won't be any silly discussions about velodromes or T&F stadia without legacies. The potential hosts out West certainly offer better options, but I think Boston/Killington remains the best chance of a winter Olympics in the eastern half of North America so long as the IOC is willing to bend the rules for the Stockhom/Ares of the world.

Yea, except there might be some not-so-silly discussions about a speed skating venue. Or the need for at least 1 or 2 larger arenas that Boston can't provide. If Boston is the best chance from a Winter Olympics in the Eastern half of the continent, then the Eastern half of the continent has virtually no shot at hosting or even bidding for a Winter Olympics anytime soon.

[WarpedReality]

Speed skating venues cost an order of magnitude less than a new multipurpose T&F stadium. If a city as small as SLC can find an appropriate legacy for its venues, Boston's far greater population means it can do the same. It all comes down to whether or not Bostonians actually give a damn about sharing their city with the world.

[LatinXTC]

Granted, Bostonians are quite crabby after the SOG bid fiasco, but Boston makes much more sense as a host for the ice events than Albany. Unlike the summer bid, there won't be any silly discussions about velodromes or T&F stadia without legacies. The potential hosts out West certainly offer better options, but I think Boston/Killington remains the best chance of a winter Olympics in the eastern half of North America so long as the IOC is willing to bend the rules for the Stockhom/Ares of the world.

A Boston/Killington bid in my view doesn't easily beat an Albany/Lake Placid bid. While finding a place to host the indoor events won't be an issue at all in Boston, what is an issue are the outdoor events. Alpine skiing is no issue for Killington, but what's the point of building another ski jumping venue and sliding track that won't get much use after the Olympics? Two functional bobsleigh tracks are enough in the US (Lake Placid and Park City), and there are plenty of already pre-existing ski jumping venues around the US that probably hardly get any use at all. Looking at the US's Olympic showing in ski jumping, we're abysmal in it. One bronze medal in the almost 100 years since the WOG inception, it sounds like we would be wasting money on another ski jumping venue that won't change our standing in the sport.

But if we want to consider uncharted waters for the next WOG in the US that would be better than Boston/Killington and Albany/Lake Placid, a Denver bid with outdoor events in Vail, Aspen, Steamboat Springs and/or Beaver Creek would be a better choice. Denver already has plenty of indoor venues to host events, and will probably need to at least build 1, maybe 2 new/temporary ones. Plenty of hotel there as well. There's already a ski jumping hill in Steamboat Springs to develop into a full ski jumping venue, so the most expensive aspect of that bid will certainly be a sliding track, if the bid doesn't decide to move those events to Park City.

Or as many have mentioned before, a Reno/Lake Tahoe bid. Reno will face a lot of problems that Albany has, with it being a smaller city and what to do with the venues after the games, but it's a gambling city so there is definitely something to do while there. And hotel capacity will be less of an issue in Reno than in Albany. And like the ski resorts near Denver, Lake Tahoe has a ski jumping hill that can be developed into a full ski jumping venue and lacks a sliding track, but it has all the snow and mountains required for the outdoor events. Either they will need to build a new sliding track just like a Denver bid, or have those events moved to Park City.

[WarpedReality]

Good points. At this rate, a NYC/Lake Placid bid may be eastern NA's only hope.

Fun Fact: Boston-Lake Placid is only 18 miles more than NYC-Lake Placid

[WarpedReality]

Also, Park City is more than 2x as far away from either Denver or Reno as Lake Placid is from New York or Boston.

[WarpedReality]

Would Harris Hill in Brattleboro, VT make sense as a ski jumping venue? It's a bit closer to Boston & NYC than Lake Placid.

[LatinXTC]

Also, Park City is more than 2x as far away from either Denver or Reno as Lake Placid is from New York or Boston.

I'm aware of that, but Park City is only about a 1.5 hour flight from either Reno or Denver to SLC and then about another 45 minute drive to Park City. And Denver to SLC has a whole lot more flight options and are cheaper round trip. Sure it's a pricey option, but the majority of people visiting Olympic events have the money to burn. Going as a spectator at any Olympic event is not for the frugal!

[FYI]

At this rate, a NYC/Lake Placid bid may be eastern NA's only hope.

As someone else earlier eloquently put it, "this is a ridiculous line of discussion". Because the USOC needs to pick them first. And I seriously doubt that the USOC would back a "winter" bid with New York City, either. 'I mean, I'm having trouble finding the right (dumb) meme to describe just how stupid that idea is'.

First of all, New York City would have to be interested, which last I checked, they weren't. Last time I also checked, the USOC desperately wants a Summer Olympics before wanting another winter ones again so soon. And thirdly, which really should be first, why would we use our most creme-de-la-creme Alpha city for a Winter bid when New York City is most fitting for the creme-de-la-creme of Games & that's the Summer Olympic Games.

I remember people laughing a while back when some were suggesting that Los Angeles try for a Winter Games & host alpine with Tahoe or Bear Lake. And other than one city having more conducive wintery weather over the other, I still can't see either of these Alpha U.S. cities as a "winter" Olympic city. Boston indeed makes much more sense than NYC in this aspect of a U.S. Winter Olympics if that's what we're gonna be talking about here.

[WarpedReality]

BOS has regular air service to SLK which is just a 10 minute drive to Lake Placid. Currently, the flight is on a Cape Air Cessna, which takes 90 minutes, but SLK airport can handle aircraft as large as a B757. Presumably, a larger aircraft could be leased if demand warranted it.

I totally understand that in the near term, a winter bid isn't in the cards for either the East or the West until after the US hosts a summer games. My speculation is more general. Presumably, the US is going to host one or two winter Olympics before 2050. What I wonder is if the Eastern half of the country even stands a chance against the West for being picked to host those inevitable American WOGs.

[LatinXTC]

I remember people laughing a while back when some were suggesting that Los Angeles try for a Winter Games & host alpine with Tahoe or Bear Lake. And other than one city having more conducive wintery weather over the other, I still can't see either of these Alpha U.S. cities as a "winter" Olympic city. Boston indeed makes much more sense than NYC in this aspect of a U.S. Winter Olympics if that's what we're gonna be talking about here.

I'm not sure if I'm one of those who openly suggested a Los Angeles winter bid, but is this really that far-fetched of a bid when you look at this pic?

And searching this site, there are options for locations of the outdoor venues.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-ski-resorts-near-los-angeles/

Distances between LA to Big Bear Lake, Wrightwood and Frazier are about 95 miles, 77 miles and 73 miles respectively. If the landscapes and climate of the ski resorts in these towns meet the requirements to hold all the alpine skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, cross country, and sliding track events then I don't see why a WOG LA bid couldn't be possible. The biggest obstacle after all of that will of course be if it's worth investing in another ski jump and sliding track venues.

[FYI]

^I'm not necessarily disagreeing with any of that, & certainly one could make a case for an L.A. Winter Olympics & in theory it could work, however, the ones that were making the arguments against an L.A. winter bid was that L.A. isn't a "wintery" enough city to host the Winter Olympics. And of course, the jokes of "what's next? Doha for a Winter Olympics?! We already had Sochi, with the palm tress, & mild temps as a faux winter host city, we don't need another". But a lot of the time, perception is everything. And if/when faced with competition that would deliver a more genuine winter experience, that could handicap such an out-of-the-ordinary 'winter' candidate. Especially when that candidate would make a much better summer option.

[LatinXTC]

^I'm not necessarily disagreeing with any of that, & certainly one could make a case for an L.A. Winter Olympics & in theory it could work, however, the ones that were making the arguments against an L.A. winter bid was that L.A. isn't a "wintery" enough city to host the Winter Olympics. And of course, the jokes of "what's next? Doha for a Winter Olympics?! We already had Sochi, with the palm tress, & mild temps as a faux winter host city, we don't need another". But a lot of the time, perception is everything. And if/when faced with competition that would deliver a more genuine winter experience, that could handicap such an out-of-the-ordinary 'winter' candidate. Especially when that candidate would make a much better summer option.

Both Vancouver and Sochi themselves don't exactly fit as a "winter" paradise, but so long as the mountains are suitable enough for the outdoor events it should have worked out just fine. Unfortunately both of them had unseasonably warm temperatures that had a bit of a snow issue, not so much in Whistler but moreso in Sochi for both the Olympics and Paralympics.

But as the 2022 WOG bid has shown us, even among the worst 2 options to choose from the IOC is favoring a mega-city bid than a winter paradise. Sure it's a fluke of a WOG, but if the conditions are right, I can see a bid like LA, or even BCN/La Molina for a WOG winning over something more traditional like another Lillehammer-type games.

[woohooitsme83]

Then, after the athletes leave the Staples Center for ice skating, they can make their way through the drought-ridden landscape via the Metro and go surfing in the so very cold Southern California winter.

[paul]

I guess if all the U.S. Winter cities said FU to bidding and LA had money to burn on a bid and the other candidates had bigger issues than LA then I guess it is possible. But I think there is not quit enough vertical in BBear for the downhill events. And snow conditions can be hit or miss. And the city is totally NOT a winter city.......like.....totally not.

[mr.bernham]

Bach is like a stripper without standards...if it moves he'll take it!

[Nacre]

Both Vancouver and Sochi themselves don't exactly fit as a "winter" paradise, but so long as the mountains are suitable enough for the outdoor events it should have worked out just fine. Unfortunately both of them had unseasonably warm temperatures that had a bit of a snow issue, not so much in Whistler but moreso in Sochi for both the Olympics and Paralympics.

Vancouver is warm like London is warm. Los Angeles is warm like Morocco is warm. Also while it may have rained too much in Vancouver, Los Angeles does not have any water to spare for making snow.

No winter games in desert cities with palm trees, please.

[FYI]

Bach is like a stripper without standards...if it moves he'll take it!

Except for Baku-koo. Lmfao! :-D

[mr.bernham]

Except for Baku-koo. Lmfao! :-D

I have the feeling he would take them in on a slow night.

[FYI]

I have the feeling he would take them in on a slow night.

You're probably right. A "you'd do" night lol.

[JMarkSnow2012]

Vancouver is warm like London is warm. Los Angeles is warm like Morocco is warm. Also while it may have rained too much in Vancouver, Los Angeles does not have any water to spare for making snow.

No winter games in desert cities with palm trees, please.

Spoilsport.

I'm loking forward to a bid from Dar es Salaam, with skiing on Kilimanjaro.