Austin invited to join 2024 Olympics bid

KevinFromTexas · #1 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 2:03 AM**

http://www.kvue.com/home/Austin-join...192094341.html

Quote:

Austin invited to join 2024 Olympics bid

by ASHLEY GOUDEAU / KVUE News and photojournalist DOUG NAUGLE
Bio | Email | Follow: @AshleyG_KVUE
kvue.com

Posted on February 20, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Updated today at 6:42 PM

AUSTIN -- It is the event, that for 29 days, seems to bring the world together. When political and religious differences are forgotten and the human spirit is celebrated. And in 2024, it could be held in Austin.

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is sending letters to 35 cities to gauge interest in hosting the games.

"Being able to have that here, in my home, that'd be awesome," said Austin resident Jeromy Lopez De Castilla.

Local business owner and community leader Paul Carrozza agreed.

"I think it's about time," Carrozza said. "Austin would be the greatest host in, I think, the history of the Olympics because you think about the town, people love to come here. I think we're the right size market now to host it, especially with the Austin-San Antonio corridor."

KevinFromTexas · #2 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 2:58 AM**

By the way, Kvue is doing a story on this at 10 pm tonight.

KevinFromTexas · #3 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 3:02 AM**

http://www.statesman.com/news/sports...-olympi/nWTxX/

Quote:

Posted: 6:49 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013
Austin willing to consider bidding for 2024 Olympics

By John Maher
American-Statesman Staff

“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 stated in the letter.

If it sounds like Blackmun is trolling for a city, that might be the case. The last two U.S. cities to carry the U.S. Summer Olympic hopes, Chicago and New York, took a beating.

By some estimates, Chicago spent about $100 million on a one-and-done bid to host the 2016 Olympics, getting knocked out in the first round of the process; the Games were eventually awarded to Rio de Janeiro. Still, it appears some Austin leaders are willing to at least consider bidding.

“It’s an intriguing possibility,” said City Council Member Kathie Tovo. “I would certainly support some of the exploratory research.”

migol24 · #4 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 8:56 AM**

Well, I think its awesome, but I have to side with that UT economist.

lzppjb · #5 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 10:50 AM**

Pretty laughable. We cannot handle that.

wwmiv · #6 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 10:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by migol24

Well, I think its awesome, but I have to side with that UT economist.

I agree, but it's fun to think about.

The ATX · #7 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 10:25 PM**

The IOC is just trolling for member junkets. I don't think the Olympics are the economic gem that they used to be. They're more like a massive money pit for the host city that in return gets short lived international exposure. We got F1 and SxSW which have much better long term benefits.

austlar1 · #8 Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 10:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hill Country

The IOC is just trolling for member junkets. I don't think the Olympics are the economic gem that they used to be. They're more like a massive money pit for the host city that in return gets short lived international exposure. We got F1 and SxSW which have much better long term benefits.

Trying to imagine the traffic nightmare with IH35 looking pretty much the way it does now and still no viable rail (including subway through downtown and campus) in place. Atlanta at least had a serious highway system and heavy rail through town, not to mention the world's busiest airport. We might be ready for an Olympics about the same time T. Stacey builds a skyscraper downtown. Olympics are for "World Class" cities.

KevinFromTexas · #9 Posted **Feb 22, 2013, 3:12 AM**

Well apparently it was just a rumor.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/212...d-for-olympics

Quote:

Mayor: Austin not asked to bid for Olympics

Posted: Feb 20, 2013 5:48 PM CST Updated: Feb 20, 2013 5:48 PM CST
By Michael Spurlin - email

Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell said in a statement that despite reports to the contrary, the city had not received a letter to bid for the 2024 Olympics.

According to the New York Times, Austin was one of 35 cities that received a letter asking them to bid for the 2024 Games.

PartyLine · #10 Posted **Feb 22, 2013, 4:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Well apparently it was just a rumor.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/212...d-for-olympics

Kinda wierd cause on the USOC website it does list Austin in the cities that they sent letters too lol

http://www.teamusa.org/News/2013/Feb...ty-Letter.aspx

H2O · #11 Posted **Feb 22, 2013, 12:11 PM**

I think Austin should host the 2036 or 2040 Olympics (or world fair) to celebrate its bicentennial. The Olympics bid game is very competitive, and it usually takes several tries to be successful, so it doesn't hurt to bid for 2024 to learn the ropes. By 2040, Austin might actually be large enough and with proper infrastructure to host a successful Olympics.

The ATX · #12 Posted **Feb 22, 2013, 1:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PartyLine

Kinda wierd cause on the USOC website it does list Austin in the cities that they sent letters too lol

http://www.teamusa.org/News/2013/Feb...ty-Letter.aspx

It looks like it got lost in the mail.

PartyLine · #13 Posted **Feb 22, 2013, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hill Country

It looks like it got lost in the mail.

That's what I was thinking