Paris and London given 2012 boost

[MaineDem]

London and Paris have earned praise for their "very high-quality" bids to stage the 2012 Olympic Games in a crucial inspection report published on Monday.

Paris, favourite of the five candidates to win, earned a glowing endorsement.

The International Olympic Committee evaluation commission believes London can deliver promises on venues, transport, the environment and legacy.

New York and Madrid earned positive remarks, but Moscow was criticised for a lack of detailed planning.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/olympics_2012/4590003.stm

NYC was criticised for lack of a stadium. I think the NY legislature is due to vote on something regarding the stadium this afternoon. That may kill NY's bid immediately.

[KurtNYC]

1. Linking the Jet's stadium giveaway to the Olympics is a ploy

NYC's bid could have been aprroved without the stadium being under construction or even approved. Bloomberg and company have been using the Olympics as hurry up tactic to get the world's ugliest and most expensive sadium under construction.

They won't have the Olympics excuse to use any more so they will most likely go back to telling us how the Jet's football stadium will "create jobs".

In reality one of the things hurting NYC's job market is the lack of affordable, and even remotely affordable, housing. Giving the Jet's a free football stadium would do nothing to ease our housing problem and would add to the city's debt.

[Inland]

2. Good grief, why would any of them want the Olympics?

Paris, London, New York---are any of them going to gain visitors or glory from having a one-off sports event?

The Olympics would be net losers for these three places, as they are for most places.