Above is the LA Colosseum during the 1984 Olympic ceremonies. LA held the Olympics in 1932 as well so a third Olympics would be historical. Experts are picking Chicago but now Governor Arnold has gotten involved and has offered a quarter-billion reasons to pick L.A. and they all contain the name George Washington.From the LAist.com article:
- The California State Senate today voted overwhelmingly in favor of AB300, previously approved 65-1 by the State Assembly, which authorizes $250 million as a guarantee to the operation of a 2016 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
- City, State, and LA 2016 bid leaders continue to express complete confidence in the financial success of a Los Angeles 2016 Olympic Games. The USOC will announce their decision on Saturday, April 14.
- "Los Angeles has all the facilities the Olympics need," said Schwarzenegger. "It also has incredible tradition and a gold-medal record when it comes to hosting these great Summer Games."
From Reuters [Link]
2 comments:
Los Angeles has always been the dependable back up player when the IOC gets into a twist. In the two Olympic Games LA hosted (1932 and 1984), LA was the only town in competition. These have also been the only Olympic games to turn a profit! LA saved the Olympic games from extinction not once but twice! After the financial disaster of Montreal 1976 no other city wanted to the Games.
Unfortunately, LA won't be a serious contender until the OIC needs saving again.
I live in Los Angeles and I am going to assume that you do too. Our city is not doing well and I don't think we deserve the Olympics till we sort out our problems with poverty, traffic, infrastructure, and gangs.
China has spent 40 billion dollars on these Beijing games and the size and scope of such an investment will never be matched for a very long time.
China spent nearly as much on these Olympics as they do on their defense budget. China looked at these Olympics as a national statement not an event held on the local level.
It's my belief that is where the Olympic movement needs to connect; not at the local government, but at the national one.
Instead of spending 6-billion-dollars on an Olympics in Los Angeles, our city would be better served by spending it on rapid transit and education.
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