Will Denver Host the 2022 Olympics?
Many people are beginning to wonder if Denver has what it takes to go through with it this time around. The city has been down the Olympic road before, so which path they end up taking is anyone’s guess at this point. The Officials are currently holding discussions about whether or not they should put in a bid for the city to host the 2022 Olympic Games. But when it comes to Denver and the Olympics, there’s more to consider than just shiny medals!
The 2022 Winter Olympics Bid
While the discussions are underway about whether or not to bid to host the 2022 Olympics, there are issues of concern that could prove to be a deterrent. For starters, the price tag for a city to host the Olympics can be a major issue. For Denver to host the 2022 Olympics, it would cost around $1.5 billion. There’s a real good chance that the tax payers don’t want to pick up the tab for hosting the Olympics, so the money would largely have to come from private funders. But whether or not Denver has enough private funders to come up with that kind of money remains to be seen.
In addition to the costs associated with Denver hosting the 2022 Olympics, there are environmental concerns that the city, including officials and residents, are going to have to consider. The environmental damage caused by hosting the Olympics is not something that can easily be brushed under the carpet. If Denver is to host the 2022 Olympics, it will be imperative that they work with experts in order to create an environmental plan that will help to protect biodiversity, curb pollution, and to focus on low carbon emissions.
Why Place the Bid?
When you consider the amount of money that Denver will need to pony up in order to host the 2022 Olympics, along with the environmental damage that may be caused and that they will have to monitor and account for, one may wonder why they are even considering it at all. But there are some benefits to being an Olympic host city. These include:
• Having your city get a lot of publicity before, during, and even after the Olympic Games are over.
• To show pride in their city, as well as to bring the games back to America. By the 2022 Olympics, the games will not have been held in this country in 20 years, since Salt Lake City hosted them in 2002.
• For the tourism it will bring. Hosting the Olympics will bring people from all around the world to Denver, giving the city a chance to put forth a good image. There will be a lot of money generated during the Olympics as people converge on the city and utilize the many services. Of the many people that will visit the city during the Olympics, it may even end up being a place that they like and end up visiting again at a later date or recommending to others as a good place to visit.
• Jobs will be created by hosting the Olympics, even if they will not be permanent.
Those cities that host the Olympic Games have usually found it to be worth the rate that they have to pay in order to them bring there. The city usually receives an economic boost, as well as an image boost. Between the two of these, it gives a lot of cities something to consider as they make their decision of whether or not to fill out the pricey application.
By the way, it is important to note that just to apply to host the Olympic Games the International Olympics Committee (IOC) charges an application fee of what is now over $150,000. This is to try and narrow the candidates down to those who are willing to make a serious commitment to the idea. However, even doing that doesn’t always work.
The 1976 Denver Olympic Run
One of the main reasons that many people are both surprised and skeptical about Denver applying to host the Olympics is because the city’s track record. The city had applied for, and was awarded, the opportunity to host the 1976 Olympics. But when it came down to it, the city backed out, leaving the Commission to go with an alternative that year, which happened to be Innsbruck, Austria.
Why did Denver back out of the 1976 Olympics? A combination of the financial commitments that they would have had to engage in, along with the environmental impact it would have possibly caused. So whether or not they can overcome both of these challenges this time around remains to be seen.
It also remains to be seen whether or not the IOC will hold the city’s past actions against them. They weren’t the first to pull out of hosting the Olympics after agreeing to do so, as Rome did the same thing back in 1908, but it was because they thought the funds were better put to use re-building the city after Mt. Vesuvius had erupted two years earlier.
Who Will Host?
Even with the expensive price tag to apply and host, there are other cities that see the overall financial gain and are considering a bid for the 2022 Olympics, in addition to Denver. Salt Lake City is considering hosting it again, as well as there being a combined effort from California and Nevada, who have merged their alliances together to put in a bid to host the Olympics in Lake Reno/Tahoe area. But they also have some stiff competition from other possible contenders such as China, Chile, and Switzerland.
There is the possibility that the 2022 Olympics will be brought back to America. The final decision as to whether or not Denver plans to put in a bid will be announced in 2015. The IOC has some solid hosting options to consider from around the world. Denver hosting the 2022 is one possibility, if they can overcome the stigma of their 1976 withdrawal, along with the financial burden they will endure, and the environmental impact that is likely inevitable.