USA: OLYMPIC GAMES - Los Angeles rolls out the red carpet in hopes of winning the 2016 Olympic Games bid

Record ID: 329541

  • Title: USA: OLYMPIC GAMES - Los Angeles rolls out the red carpet in hopes of winning the 2016 Olympic Games bid
  • Date: 4th March 2007
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (MARCH 2, 2007) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA SAYING: "This isn't about the past, it's about the future. It's about a city where the world comes together. A city as diverse as any not just in the U.S. but in the world. Where 36 nationalities have the largest population outside of their country of origin. A city that is ready and willing and has the facilities, the infrastructure to not just host but to host them in a grand style."
  • Embargoed: 19th March 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABUA65QD749ZZIH5QIE4060FZZ
  • Story Text: U.S. Olympic officials completed a two-day tour of Los Angeles on Friday(March 2, 2007), saying they were impressed with the city's bid to host the 2016 Summer Games but refusing to tip their hand toward a final decision. They were given the tour by the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, who played up the regions perfect climate, access to technology and the ability to lend star power to the games.
    "This isn't about the past, it's about the future," explained Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, speaking at the news conference. "It's about a city where the world comes together. A city as diverse as any not just in the U.S. but in the world. Where 36 nationalities have the largest population outside of their country of origin. A city that is ready and willing and has the facilities, the infrastructure, to not just host but to host the games, but do so in a grand style."
    The U.S. Olympic Committee's evaluation team, speaking at a news conference, said Los Angeles got strong marks for having most of the facilities needed for the games already in place and for its ability to enlist the entertainment industry. But the committee, which must choose between Los Angeles and Chicago as the U.S. bid city by April 14, said the second-largest city in the United States faced hurdles in having already hosted the games twice and in transportation logistics.
    "We've been very impressed with what we've seen," said Bob Ctvrtlik, chair of the USOC's evaluation committee. "30of 36 venures that exist, you can walk in touch them and see exactly how they will perform in an Olympic Games. Is it something that will push them over the top, we'll just have to see. As we go to Chicago, we'll carefully study their plan as well. Potentially they could have more risks. We'll have to see, we haven't seen their presentation. But at this point, we we're impressed with the plan that has been laid out in L.A.'s presentation.
    Members of the evaluation committee said one knock on Los Angeles was that its facilities were spread across sprawling Southern California, which famously lacks public transportation and has some of the worst traffic problems of any major U.S. city. Although, Ctvrtlik said the Southern California committee assured them such problems could be overcome.
    The USOC team will visit Chicago next week.
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