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Atlanta 1996


Stu

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Baron, this question is for you.

Why was Bobby Dodd Field not used as one of the venues for soccer?

I think it could not meet the field dimensions for soccer; nor meet the seating capacity requirement for soccer (even if only for preliminaries). It was also too close to the freeway, not enough open space around it for supply and ancillary tents, trailers, etc., and with the campus-OV right behind it, they felt that it would've been unsafe all-around for the field to be used as an open venue. However, it was used as a practice site.

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I think it could not meet the field dimensions for soccer; nor meet the seating capacity requirement for soccer (even if only for preliminaries). It was also too close to the freeway, not enough open space around it for supply and ancillary tents, trailers, etc., and with the campus-OV right behind it, they felt that it would've been unsafe all-around for the field to be used as an open venue. However, it was used as a practice site.

Correction to my earlier post re Bobby Dodd. Sorry, I just checked the seating stats, and at 55,000, it would've qualified even for a soccer semis. The main thing was, it's situated in a real tight spot between the freeway and the eastern edge of the Georgia Tech campus (which served as the Olympic Village). See photo here from worldstadiums site. Note freeway (which runs thru downtown) in lower left of the photo.

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...anta_dodd.shtml

And unlike the situation at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA where the soccer finals were held, it looks like there was absolutely no room at Bobby Dodd to enlarge to an Olympic soccer pitch. Plus, bringing in some 50,000 people to the very compressed space where Dodd sits, would've been a nightmare logistically. (On regular days (when there isn't an Olympics in town), holding a game there would present minor traffic inconveniences, but when you have an Olympics with a dozen other events going on on certain days, that would not have been the best option.) So it was wise not to stage anything at the main Georgia Tech stadium. (The Village already had the swimming and the Boxing venues.)

As a matter of fact, the various sports held at the Omni, the Georgia Dome and the the Georgia World Convention Center were dense enough that the USOC used that example to loosen up a similar set-up in Chicago 2016's (earlier) McCormick Conv Center plan.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I hate all the slagging that the Atlanta Games get.

The one thing i would have loved to have seen come out of Atlanta is as an Olympic city, to host more International events

ie the world athletics champs or swimming champs etc.

It seems that other past, and future olympic cities, host there fair share of events using the venues constructed for the olympics.

U just dont hear of a major international sporting event taking place in Atlanta, esp not here in Europe.

Hopefully that will change.

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