In an article from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's website, I read about research being done on the displacement of homeless youth during the Vancouver Olympics. Dr. Jacqueline Kennelly, from Carleton University in Ottawa, has been interviewing marginalized people about how the Olympics coming to town has affected their lives, and she wonders if the money spent on the Games couldn't have been better spent to address the city's maladies. Her research represents one of the biggest topics fueling opposition to hosting the Olympics: Games or butter?
According to her Carleton web page, Dr. Kennelly is currently exploring "the urban effects of the Olympic Games for low-income, homeless, and street-involved young people," which I think is terribly important to consider for the long-term sustainability of the Olympic Movement. I do not think that the IOC or respective organizing committees should see such research as an attack, but as an evaluation that could result in a more respectful, sustainable and harmonious event.
I firmly believe that the Games can be hosted without cities going bankrupt, or social issues being swept aside, or those in need falling deeper into poverty because the Olympics took a priority over them. The Olympic Movement, like cities, are nothing without people, and the IOC would be wise to stop awarding the Games to the city who promises to build the biggest stadiums, spend the most money, and marginalize its poorest citizens. The Olympics can only be a force for good when host cities develop a clear civic conscience.
2.13.2011
2.12.2011
The American Olympia
With Dallas's recent hosting of the Super Bowl, I had read that there was talk of a possible Dallas Olympic bid for 2020. However, if whoever was proposing this had actually done his or her homework, they should have heard that the United States Olympic Committee has decided to forgo bidding until it has repaired its strained relationship with Lausanne (the IOC). So, with that in mind, let's take a look at the American cities with Olympic dreams:
The Good.
Chicago | Sacrificial lamb of 2016
The last US city to bid for the Olympics, the Windy City presented a pretty good plan to the IOC for 2016. It featured an Olympic Village on the Lake Michigan coast and a temporary stadium for track and field (which I think is the only sustainable/responsible option for any North American Olympic host). Chicago's urban area has a population of 8.7 million spread over 2100 square miles, and it boasts one of the largest mass transit systems in the country - the "L" subway system is second in length (behind NYC) and third in ridership, behind NYC (shocking) and Boston (actually shocking).
While its 2016 bid was technically superior to eventual winner Rio de Janeiro, the USOC - a major player in the bid process - was in an embarrassing state and not in very good standing with the IOC... the people who ultimately decide which cities become Olympic hosts. With its infrastructure, resources, and vibrant sporting culture (more than just "da Bulls" and "da Bears"), I hope they try again when the time is right.
Boston | Don't you hate it when puzzles have one piece missing?
Now, I know what you're thinking: Boston is too small to host the Olympics! Actually, while the City of Boston is pretty small, the city's urban area has a population of 4 million spread over 1800 square miles - putting it on par with recent Olympic hosts Sydney and Athens. And as stated above, its "T" subway system has the second highest ridership in the country. Also good for Boston is its high density of colleges and universities - not only providing potential venues, but a cheering section of millions of alumni around the world who called Boston home for four or more of the best years of their young lives.
Beyond the Pats, Bruins and Red Sox, Boston enjoys a rich athletic tradition. The Boston Marathon is the oldest annual marathon in the world and - I love this - the first gold medalist of the modern Olympic Games was James Connolly, a Boston native and student at Harvard. In fact, most of the American medalists from 1896 were from the Boston area. In my opinion, Boston would make a formidable candidate.
Unfortunately, public opinion might be difficult to persuade. Bostonians had to put up with cost overruns, annoying traffic delays and general mismanagement of the Big Dig - which has ultimately improved the city - and local politicians might not be willing to gamble their careers on something that many community groups see as "frivolous."
But stay tuned.
The Bad.
Los Angeles | Marathon runners are faster than LA commuters
I'm not going to go too in depth with this one: hosted twice, miserable public transportation and traffic, smog, wildfires...
Minneapolis/St. Paul | Five Cheerios could make the Olympic rings
With an metro population of just over 3 million, Minneapolis and St. Paul are a little on the small side for an Olympic host. It also lacks the experience and infrastructure for dealing with large influxes of visitors. I've never been to Minnesota, but I think I would like this area; it seems like a great place to live. However, that does not mean it would be a great Olympic host. While Americans are capable of great things, I do not believe any pleasant American city could host an event like the Olympic Games.
Dallas/Fort Worth | Don't mess with Texas
While it certainly has the size and population worthy of an Olympic host, Dallas and Fort Worth are lacking in other areas. International visitors need extensive public transportation to travel between hotels and venues, and these cities probably won't be able to correct their deficiency in this key area. Besides Texas's big attitude and financial clout, I don't see how Dallas could hold its own against a field of world-class cities.
The Ugly.
Tulsa | Um... what?
Where do I begin? Severely lacking public transportation, population, culture... but unless Luxembourgeoise duchesses crave baby back ribs (I want my baby back, baby back...) and love pushing Native Americans off the land we moved them to, I doubt anyone in Colorado Springs or Lausanne would take this bid seriously. I hope not, anyway.
2.03.2011
On the Road to 2018
The next Olympic host to be decided is for the Winter Games of 2018. Vying for the honor are only three cities: Annecy (FRA), Munich (GER), and Pyeongchang (KOR).
A Little Background.
Annecy is in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, which has already produced three winter host cities: Chamonix 1924, Grenoble 1968, and Albertville 1992. The city is the capital of the Haute-Savoie department and has a population of approximately 52,000.
Munich (population 1.3 million) is the capital and largest city in the German state of Bavaria. It has already hosted the Summer Games of 1972 (best known for Olga Korbut, Mark Spitz, and the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches). Germany has only hosted one previous Winter Games: Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936 (used by the Nazis as propaganda fodder). If selected, Munich would be the first city to host both the summer and winter editions of the Olympics, and would enlist the help of Garmisch to host the Alpine and Nordic skiing events.
Pyeongchang -- always the bridesmaid, never the bride -- is on its third consecutive attempt to host the Olympics. It has a population of approximately 47,000 and is located in Gangwon province, in the northeast corner of the country. South Korea has never hosted the winter games and has only hosted once before -- Seoul 1988. The last Olympics in Asia were Beijing (CHN) 2008; the last Winter Olympics were in Nagano (JAP) 1998. If Pyeongchang were to be selected, it would be the first time the winter games were held in Asia outside of Japan.
And the Games go to...
My bet is on Pyeongchang. It lost by just 3 votes in the final round of voting to Vancouver (CAN) for 2010, and a similarly close 4 votes to Sochi (RUS) for 2014. Going into this bid, it is already constructing many venues it would need to host, such as a ski jumping facility and world-class ski resort (not to mention the necessary hotels for officials and spectators).
I wish Munich weren't bidding so close to two European games (Torino 2006 and Sochi 2014), because I firmly believe Germany should host the Games again -- they have one of the larger and more successful Olympic teams and one of the world's largest economies. I also like their bid, which incorporates the 1972 Olympic park, including the Olympic Stadium as the venue for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Unfortunately, public opinion in the area is not as high as the other candidate cities.
Annecy is also up against its own geography. However, France has hosted many Olympics (five total) and its bid is a little too spread out over a difficult terrain for recent trends in Olympic hosting, and it simply does not have the infrastructure to overcome that.
In the end, the IOC could choose any one of these cities and I would not be the least bit surprised. For example, Rio de Janiero's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics was not as technically strong as the other cities, yet it was selected anyway. FIFA, the governing body for international soccer, chose Russia and Qatar (not exactly known for their love of the sport) to host their 2018 and 2022 World Cups, despite stronger, more feasible bids from other countries. So I'd say it's still anyone's game.
The host city for 2018 will be chosen at the IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, on July 6.
A Little Background.
Annecy is in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, which has already produced three winter host cities: Chamonix 1924, Grenoble 1968, and Albertville 1992. The city is the capital of the Haute-Savoie department and has a population of approximately 52,000.
Munich (population 1.3 million) is the capital and largest city in the German state of Bavaria. It has already hosted the Summer Games of 1972 (best known for Olga Korbut, Mark Spitz, and the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches). Germany has only hosted one previous Winter Games: Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936 (used by the Nazis as propaganda fodder). If selected, Munich would be the first city to host both the summer and winter editions of the Olympics, and would enlist the help of Garmisch to host the Alpine and Nordic skiing events.
Pyeongchang -- always the bridesmaid, never the bride -- is on its third consecutive attempt to host the Olympics. It has a population of approximately 47,000 and is located in Gangwon province, in the northeast corner of the country. South Korea has never hosted the winter games and has only hosted once before -- Seoul 1988. The last Olympics in Asia were Beijing (CHN) 2008; the last Winter Olympics were in Nagano (JAP) 1998. If Pyeongchang were to be selected, it would be the first time the winter games were held in Asia outside of Japan.
And the Games go to...
My bet is on Pyeongchang. It lost by just 3 votes in the final round of voting to Vancouver (CAN) for 2010, and a similarly close 4 votes to Sochi (RUS) for 2014. Going into this bid, it is already constructing many venues it would need to host, such as a ski jumping facility and world-class ski resort (not to mention the necessary hotels for officials and spectators).
I wish Munich weren't bidding so close to two European games (Torino 2006 and Sochi 2014), because I firmly believe Germany should host the Games again -- they have one of the larger and more successful Olympic teams and one of the world's largest economies. I also like their bid, which incorporates the 1972 Olympic park, including the Olympic Stadium as the venue for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Unfortunately, public opinion in the area is not as high as the other candidate cities.
Annecy is also up against its own geography. However, France has hosted many Olympics (five total) and its bid is a little too spread out over a difficult terrain for recent trends in Olympic hosting, and it simply does not have the infrastructure to overcome that.
In the end, the IOC could choose any one of these cities and I would not be the least bit surprised. For example, Rio de Janiero's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics was not as technically strong as the other cities, yet it was selected anyway. FIFA, the governing body for international soccer, chose Russia and Qatar (not exactly known for their love of the sport) to host their 2018 and 2022 World Cups, despite stronger, more feasible bids from other countries. So I'd say it's still anyone's game.
The host city for 2018 will be chosen at the IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, on July 6.
Bienvenue! Welcome!
Mesdames et messieurs, ladies and gentlemen: Bienvenue, welcome to The Modern Olympia!
With this blog, I plan to share my thoughts on many topics dealing with the Olympic Movement -- the Games themselves, athletes, national committees, and -- most of all -- the host city bid process. I get a lot of my information from a great website called GamesBids.com, and you'll see it attributed often, along with the IOC, USOC and a slew of bid and organizing committees.
The bottom line is this: I love the Olympics, architecture, urban planning, and world politics, and I would like a medium to get some of my ideas out of my head and out into the world. Imagining how certain cities would host a large international sporting event is one of my few hobbies, so it's only natural it should manifest itself in a blog like this.
I hope whoever reads this (other than myself) finds it slightly thought-provoking and a tiny bit interesting. I know I'll enjoy sharing my thoughts, so I hope you'll enjoy reading them.
With this blog, I plan to share my thoughts on many topics dealing with the Olympic Movement -- the Games themselves, athletes, national committees, and -- most of all -- the host city bid process. I get a lot of my information from a great website called GamesBids.com, and you'll see it attributed often, along with the IOC, USOC and a slew of bid and organizing committees.
The bottom line is this: I love the Olympics, architecture, urban planning, and world politics, and I would like a medium to get some of my ideas out of my head and out into the world. Imagining how certain cities would host a large international sporting event is one of my few hobbies, so it's only natural it should manifest itself in a blog like this.
I hope whoever reads this (other than myself) finds it slightly thought-provoking and a tiny bit interesting. I know I'll enjoy sharing my thoughts, so I hope you'll enjoy reading them.
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