The summer Olympics may be headed to the West Coast. “It is an honor for any city to host the Olympic Games, and Los Angeles is uniquely prepared for this task”. Proposed facilities, most of which already exist, include AEG Worldwide’s Staples Center and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which hosted the previous games.
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“Today, I am proud to officially launch our bid in partnership with the USOC as we aim to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to the United States for the first time in 28 years”, said LA mayor Eric Garcetti.
Los Angeles is hoping to join London as the only other city to host three summer games.
The city’s bid outlines over $6bn (£3.9bn) in public and private spending.
“The USOC obviously wants an American city and it found one in L.A.”, said Evan Falchuk, a former gubernatorial candidate who was vocal in his opposition to Boston hosting the games. When Boston dropped out amid cost and other objections from the public and city officials, Garcetti and Los Angeles Olympics boosters jumped into the breach.
Baku, Azerbaijan: It submitted bids for 2016 and 2020 that went nowhere, but the candidacy of nearby Kazakhstan for the 2022 Winter Games (losing a close vote to Beijing) shows the region’s potential. Mr Garcetti is squarely in favour of LA hosting the Games, but some council members have expressed concerns about costs.
“This is the engagement, not the wedding”, Council President Herb Wesson said.
City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana, the chief financial adviser to the mayor and council, released an analysis of the bid August. 27, saying he couldn’t verify the mayor’s cost and profit estimates. Later, the city’s Olympic bid was endorsed by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) board of directors. “If the Olympic movement decided to build a brand new city that was founded on its ideals of pluralism, of competition and harmony, they would have to build Los Angeles. We are trying to cut the deal and be in a position to present to our spouse-to-be an arrangement that’s acceptable”.
The IOC and Brazilian organizers had repeatedly insisted that only bacterial testing was required despite an independent five-month analysis by The Associated Press showing dangerously high levels of viruses from human sewage at all Rio Olympic water venues.
The bid calls for building a $1 billion athletes village on a rail yard the city doesnt own, and government analysts have warned that developing the site could significantly exceed the projected cost.
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That’s a catchy way to put it, but few think the L.A. City Council will let any future catch lead to calling off the marriage.
