Could San Diego host the Olympics?
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The International Olympic Committee has released a report that makes it easier for cities to host the games, and much less costly.
Last June, San Diego did not make the short list to host the 2024 games, but that should not be seen as a failure.
The new reform has enormous significance for San Diego.
Infrastructure, for example.
Vince Mudd from the Exploratory Committee said, “They will no longer require that cities build infrastructure that they do not need just for the purposes of the games.”
He said temporary venues are now acceptable, and the IOC has dropped the requirement that cities put up a letter for credit for billions of dollars for an event that is maybe eight years down the road.
“Based on these reforms a lot of that cost structure for that large infrastructure that we might have needed to wait until 2032 will no longer be required,” he said.
Cities can have exhibition sports unique to their areas, but not part of the official games.
“We wanted to have surfing and skate boarding as our two exhibition sports, they’ve made it easier to do that,” Mudd said.
Multiple cities can now host the games together, and the door is open for a bi-national Olympics.
The IOC is also offering its resources which it has never done, but reduces a city’s cost.
“The expertise and resources that the IOC and the reforms they’re providing, in effect, is an offset, but not a direct cash infusion,” he said.
What hurt San Diego’s bid for the 2024 games, in addition to this being the city’s first attempt, was not having an airport opened 24 hours a day, seven days a weeks.
San Diego’s effort to host the games began five years ago, right after SANDAG completed its 2050 master plan.
The master plan for hosting the games has to converge with SANDAG’s plan.
“It just so happens that the Olympics has some of the best master planning characteristics of anything that’s out there,” he said.
And it’s available to cities.
“It makes the opportunity for the Olympics to be in the United States much more likely,” he said.
San Diego never really had chance to host the 2024 games, but 2028 is a possibility, and 2032 more likely because of the new IOC reforms.
This started with 35 cities and was whittled down to four in June. San Diego was fifth,a very good showing. The other cities were Boston, San Francisco, Washington, and Los Angeles, which as hosted the games twice.
