Forum and Classifieds

My Ballard Forum » Open Forum

Would You Want Seattle To Host The Olympics?

(14 posts)

Started 3 months ago by BuffaloHawk
Latest reply from h2o_girl

BuffaloHawk

offline
Member

I don't think I would really be that interested in hosting the Olympics. I remember after the last Olympics what a fortune it had cost London.We would at least have enough lanes for the cycling events.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50859360/ns/local_news-seattle_wa/#.USPVkvKaLEE

The U.S. Olympic Committee is asking Seattle, Portland and 33 other cities if they are interested in bidding to host the 2024 Summer Games.

The USOC sent letters to the mayors of those cities Tuesday to gauge interest in a potential bid to bring the Summer Olympics back to the country for the first time since 1996.

"Our objective in this process is to identify a partner city that can work with us to present a compelling bid to the IOC and that has the right alignment of political, business and community leadership," USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said in the letter.

Posted 3 months ago #
allisonw

offline
Member

We've been through this before and scuttled the idea. Logistics are too tough here and the cost is staggering. Hopefully someone remembers all this and we pass again.

What I'd LIKE to see happen here sometime is the nominating conventions (either) for the presidential election. That would be doable and super-cool. Ditto debates.

Posted 3 months ago #
great idea

offline
Member

I would take a local winter Olympics, but not the summer games.

Posted 3 months ago #
dsomers

online
Member

Oh come on everyone! The Olympics would be a great excuse to build a couple or 3 more stadiums! Not to mention the excitement of a luge run down the Denny Regrade and a giant slolam coming off Queen Ann Hill!!! Whew! <grin>

Posted 3 months ago #
Aunt Salad

offline
Member

Remember the Goodwill Games? If we had the Olympics here - then I am going on vacation - traffic - sums it up in one word.

Posted 3 months ago #
onederfullone

offline
Member

I'd say absolutely no facebooking way.

which virtually guarantees it.

sorry.

Posted 3 months ago #
lifeisamazing

offline
Member

Nooooooooooo

Although somers is right. A few more stadiums to vote on and reject and have built for our own good would be cool. :)

Posted 3 months ago #
michp

offline
Member

This city has zero foresight so it would never happen here. We do have bike lanes that are currently used by less than .01% of the population and if all goes well in 25 years .1% so maybe I am wrong.

Posted 2 months ago #
boatgeek

offline
Member

I think it would be a terrible idea, and a colossal waste of money. (Dear god, I agree with oneder! The space-time continuum may collapse!) That said, I think it's actually reasonably possible within our existing infrastructure.

UW would work really well for the athlete's village and many sports venues. Track and field, soccer, and perhaps the opening/closing ceremonies would fit nicely in Husky Stadium. Hec Ed would work for a lot of smaller indoor sports (judo, fencing, wrestling, etc.). For really small events, somethign like the SPU Fieldhouse might work. If the new basketball arena is built, that's available, plus Key Arena for more indoor sports (gymnastics?). Seahawks stadium covers more soccer, and Safeco covers baseball. King County Aquatics covers swimming and diving. You'd have to find space in the NE burbs for equestrian events, and someplace out in the San Juans or Straits for sailing for more consistent wind than central Puget Sound/Lake WA. I don't hav eillusions that most of these facilities will need some upgrades to be Olympic venues, but they could probably work largely within their current footprint. If USOC wanted a "fast and cheap" version, they could do worse than Seattle.

Posted 2 months ago #
great idea

offline
Member

Hec Ed would work well, but not for wrestling since they're discontinuing the sport.

Posted 2 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

offline
Member

Aunt Salad ... FTW

I would get out of town and rent my place for serious $$$$$ :)

Posted 2 months ago #
dsomers

online
Member

Buffalo,

My wife's family lived in upstate NY very near Saratoga Springs Thoroughbred Race Track. They could see the practice fields from the house for instance. Every season they would clean the house to a fare thee well and head off to their camp up north and rent the house out for the race season. That paid for the annual property taxes on the house, and a fair amount of the upkeep as well. Quite lucrative. It was heck for those who had to stay in town for the races and put up with all the tourists though.

D

Posted 2 months ago #
Cheese

offline
Member

The businesses on the Olympic peninsula that have "Olympic" in their name (say like "Olympics Tours" or "Olympics Towing" or "Olympics Bar and Grill etc...) would be devastated by the attention the IOC or USOC lawyers would focus on them since they will be in the 'hood. Rule #1: Never let lawyers know you exist!

The USOC is about par with Disney on clueless and frivolous "trademark" litigation.

Posted 2 months ago #
h2o_girl

offline
Member

No. I would love to see the Final Four here sometime though.

Posted 2 months ago #