A $3-million sales pitch aimed at luring the 2012 Olympics to New York began on Sunday when the International Olympic Committee’s evaluation commission arrived in the well-polished Big Apple.
The 13-member panel has already visited rival finalists London and Madrid and will journey to Paris and Moscow next month before creating a report that could influence the IOC’s choice of a host, to be made July 6 at Singapore.
When commission members walk out the front door of their luxury hotel overlooking Central Park, the marquee of the ”Paris” theatre is to their right, a subtle reminder of the city many see as front runner in the Games fight.
An elaborate schedule includes a tour of venues, a detailed presentation of the $3,65-billion bid plan and a night of horse-drawn carriages, dinner and drinks with mayor Michael Bloomberg and a special jazz performance.
About the only thing unplanned was a snowstorm set to arrive early on Monday.
Both London and Madrid officials said they felt their bid received a boost after the commission visit and a similar reaction is likely here.
But there is one major question mark hanging over the bid — a planned $1,4-billion-dollar Olympic stadium on Manhattan’s west side.
Neighbourhood protests and a rival redevelopment bid from the owners of Madison Square Garden, fearful of losing events to the new facility, have kept the stadium project from receiving final approval from politicians.
Dan Doctoroff, New York’s deputy mayor and the founder and driving force behind organizing group NYC2012, vows the stadium will be done and has worked for years to build trust with the 117 IOC members who will decide on a host.
”We’re confident we will deliver on the proposal we have made to them,” he said. ”We’re very confident our plan will get approved in advance of the day the IOC makes its decision.”
Doctoroff (46) admitted being nervous but was also confident about the visit, which cannot seal a bid but could crush hopes if things go poorly.
The IOC delegation is led by chairperson Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco, who became the first Muslim woman to win an Olympic gold medal when she captured the 400m hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Other current IOC members on the committee include Dutch delegate Els van Breda Vriesman, former track star Frank Fredericks of Namibia, Algeria’s Mustapha Larfaoui, Singapore’s Ser-Miang Ng and South Africa’s Sam Ramsamy.
The group also includes Swiss Olympics executive director Gilbert Felli, Canadian former IOC member Paul Henderson and advisors on such issues as transportation and environmental care. – Sapa-AFP