Which City would you like to see win the Olympics bid for 2012?

[BurtWorm]

Poll question: Which City would you like to see win the Olympics bid for 2012?

[Goldmund]

1. As long as it isn't NY

We have enough traffic problems here as it is.

[BurtWorm]

3. It's looking like it won't be New York.

Hallelujah! (May this kill the stadium.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/06/sports/05cnd-olympics.html?ei=5094&en=aedd4bacb32b54e1&hp=&ex=1118116800&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

June 6, 2005
Olympic Panel Praises Paris and London; Notes Doubt on N.Y.
By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS
An International Olympic Committee report released today on the five finalists for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games had high praise for Paris and London, and more tempered praise for New York City's bid, which has been thrown into doubt because of a dispute over a proposed Olympic stadium in Manhattan.

The report is seen as a key barometer of which city will be chosen on July 6 in Singapore by the 117 voting members of the I.O.C. in what is widely regarded as the most hotly-contested bid ever for the Olympics Games. Paris and London, whose bids were said to be of "very high quality" by the report, have long been considered the favorites, with New York and Madrid next and Moscow trailing in last place. The report by the committee's Evaluation Commission said that both New York and Madrid had made "high quality" presentations and that Moscow suffered "a lack of detailed planning that "made it difficult for the commission to evaluate the project." The Evaluation Commission toured each of the finalist cities for four days this spring to assess the quality of the bids, including visiting proposed venues and analyzing security and economic plans.

Paris was lauded by the commission for its "high capacity and quality metropolitan road and rail transport systems," and "excellent accommodations proposal," while London won high marks for its "high level of planning" and its plan for an Olympic Park in East London. New York and Madrid were praised for their plans to turn over large areas to parks and other green spaces.

The analysis did not go into detail regarding the political battle surrounding New York's proposed $2.2 billion stadium project on the West Side of Manhattan that would be the site of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the track and field competition. But the report did point out the issue by saying, "New York could not provide a guarantee for the use of the Olympic Square site," referring to the stadium and an International Broadcast Center.

[Goldmund]

6. Oh yeah, the West Side Stadium

Whenever I'm crawling up the West Side Highway, I always think to myself "gee, you know I wish we had a stadium a few exists down". :eyes:

And in that same article, Bloomberg says: "New Yorkers are counting on us" (to deliver the stadium). :wtf: I don't know of a single New Yorker not associated with Bloomberg (or doesn't own a helicopter and a heliopod on top of his or her mansion) who is in favor of it.

[BurtWorm]

8. You know, this is just a thought, but maybe he should focus on Ground Zero

Just a thought. I know football stadiums are supremely important in the long run, but...

[cestpaspossible]

2. Wow I was just about to post the same poll

only I was going to leave off ny, figuring that for nationalistic reasons it will win hands down.

[BurtWorm]

5. If you asked New Yorkers

most would vote for some other city.

[CarefullyLiberal]

4. I would have voted for....

Baghdad but it wasn't a choice.

New event: See how far you can throw Bush across the Euphrates River.

-Fergus

[The Magistrate]

7. East St. Louis

Or Justice....

[OxQQme]

9. Nationalistic competition

is wacked out. It furthers separation and increases the "We're better than you" syndrome that has become rampant worldwide. Notice the way competitors for ANY prize gets to be a media event with analysts dissecting all the strengths and weaknesses before and after the event. Think pro wrestling. Or super bowl. Or gladiators and lions.

[Cleita]

10. I lived in Los Angeles when the Olympics came to town.

I heard it was a great success and a lot of people make a lot of money. I wasn't one of them. There was the inconvenience of trying to go to work around detours and with increased security.

On the plus side, local stations played the events all day as they happened, instead of the edited one you get on the designated Olympic channel. I was able to see things you never see otherwise like the fencing competition and horsemanship, etc.

The only live events that I got to see were the marathons since part of the route was a couple of blocks from my apartment. Everyone lined the streets, cheered for fifteen minutes while they all ran by, and then went home.

[jim3775]

11. Green Games in Madrid

I saw on BBC news last night that Madrid wants to have the greenest games ever.

LINK
"The Spanish city is one of the few major European capitals yet to have hosted the Games and mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon said: "Respect for the environment governs all aspects of this project.

"Madrid will use the opportunity of this candidacy to introduce renewable energies in all installations and hydrogen in public transport and could celebrate the first games without private transport.""