Detroit's 6 failed bids for the Olympic Games

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

With modern technology, I think most cities could host either summer or winter games. That said, I think Detroit would be a more natural fit for the summer games. We have a lot of facilities in Detroit and outlaying areas [[including the athletic facilities of UM and MSU) to host the events. The only major new facilities we would need would be the Olympic Village and Olympic Stadium. The village could be constructed to be converted to dorms for WSU & UDM. The stadium is a tougher issue: there is neither a perfect place to put it, nor a good post-games use for it. I would think perhaps we could build a facility like the arena London built, designed as a cheap, modular facility to be dismantled after the games. The good news is, like Los Angeles, the money raised [[including the TV rights money) could be used primarily for treaks and improvements to current facilities.

In the past, I had felt a Detroit-Windsor joint bid was a good idea, with 2 countries pushing the bid, major companies in both countries as sponsors. But, realistically, with post 9-11 rules in place, border crossings would be too slow and unpredictable to be feasible.

I think Detroit could put together a good bid for the 2024 or 2028 games. We probably won't, but I think we could.

[iheartthed]

With modern technology, I think most cities could host either summer or winter games. That said, I think Detroit would be a more natural fit for the summer games. We have a lot of facilities in Detroit and outlaying areas [[including the athletic facilities of UM and MSU) to host the events. The only major new facilities we would need would be the Olympic Village and Olympic Stadium. The village could be constructed to be converted to dorms for WSU & UDM. The stadium is a tougher issue: there is neither a perfect place to put it, nor a good post-games use for it. I would think perhaps we could build a facility like the arena London built, designed as a cheap, modular facility to be dismantled after the games. The good news is, like Los Angeles, the money raised [[including the TV rights money) could be used primarily for treaks and improvements to current facilities.

In the past, I had felt a Detroit-Windsor joint bid was a good idea, with 2 countries pushing the bid, major companies in both countries as sponsors. But, realistically, with post 9-11 rules in place, border crossings would be too slow and unpredictable to be feasible.

I think Detroit could put together a good bid for the 2024 or 2028 games. We probably won't, but I think we could.

Detroit almost certainly won't have the money to bid on 2024. Bing also already declined: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2828798.html

[Hypestyles]

But the requirements for host cities, including a $10 million upfront bid processing payment, $3 billion operating budget commitment, construction of an Olympic Village for 16,500 athletes and, perhaps the biggest hurdle, a workable transportation system, make it hard to imagine Detroit being in shape to host the Olympics in a mere 11 years.

on a pure fantasy level, I'm wondering just when Detroit would realistically be in a position to legitimately put a bid in? Ah well.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Detroit almost certainly won't have the money to bid on 2024. Bing also already declined: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2828798.html

I wasn't predicting that we will bid, or that such a bid would win. I think that regardless of the quality of the bid we put forth, the IOC would think we were not politically organized enough to trust with the bid. The moderate problems they had in Athens and the significant organizational issues they are having with the $51B Sochi games makes it likely that only cities who seem to have had their act together for a long, long time will be considered going forward. Detroit's Olympic prospects are just an academic exercise for now.

As for money for the games, the host city's government doesn't lead or fund the bid [[although they will certainly pick up some expenses). A local organizing committee raises the money, plans the events, and runs the games. So, other than the fact that it casts a negative pall over the bid, Detroit's finances are not directly related to a it. For Detroit to actually put together a real bid for the games, we would need a generation of efficient, constructive, and honest government to point to. Michael Phelp's kids will be in the first games we could realistically bid for.

[EastsideAl]

In the past, I had felt a Detroit-Windsor joint bid was a good idea, with 2 countries pushing the bid, major companies in both countries as sponsors. But, realistically, with post 9-11 rules in place, border crossings would be too slow and unpredictable to be feasible.

Of course, we could have a customs union, like, say, France and Germany - who fought 3 wars in the preceding 120 years. Even if only temporarily for something like an Olympics. But I guess that would be far too sensible and productive for the folks in Washington. After all, you never know when those sneaky Canadian might finally attack again, in revenge for the War of 1812.

[southofbloor]

After all, you never know when those sneaky Canadian might finally attack again, in revenge for the War of 1812.

Yes have been thinking that we need to rally our mighty Canadian military and recapture the city. Detroit Ontario Canada has a nice ring to it. But we would have to really work on the conspicuous lack of "eh?" punctuating the ends of your sentences.

[p69rrh51]

For anyone interested in this subject, you may want to head over to 409 E. Jefferson [[designed by Albert Kahn 1902/1904) to check out this lot.

http://www.dumouchelle.com/LotDetail...NEWS-CLIPPINGS

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Thanks for the link, p69rrh51. Interesting bit of history.

Note: I have changed my tune from previous posts of mine on the topic of Detroit bidding for the Olympics. I think it is now a terrible idea. The bidding process absorbs a lot of civic energy; and most cities end up being lessened by the games. Financially of course, but also in terms of infrastructure left behind without being functional or appropriate for the city post-games. Detroit should host some major events, but an Olympic bid is not worth the effort, in my opinion.

[Kathleen]

From Wayne State U
Detroit's Olympics bid brought Matthaei to WSU

https://today.wayne.edu/news/2021/07/26/detroits-olympics-bid-brought-matthaei-to-wsu-44144

[Danny]

For the 1968 Olympics. Detroit failed the bid because it failed to have it's sponsors provide meals for the athletes. And Detroit is still recovering from the 1967 riots that devastated most of the neighborhoods. The whole global community don't want to our city look like a war zone. When they go sight seeing.

Also Detroit will not be on the 2024 Olympics bid so forget about that. In order for Detroit to back on the bid is to improve it's regional infrastructure. This is not a race matter, it's a business matter. The Summer Olympics is 500 billion dollar event that comes once every 4 years. Detroit's regionalism and infrastructure just have the money to build super stadiums and it's super venues.

[Danny]

Let's say some miraculous event the IOC decided to have the Olympics in Detroit in 2044? From 2024 this city has 20 years to improve it's infrastructure.

There will venues in Detroit,MI. Wayne State University will get the Track and Field, U of M will have the swimming pools, Basketball courts, Ford Field will have the bicycling, Detroit and Windsor will have the Decathlon. And there will be other outside venues for the Olympics as well. Just like it's planned for the 1968 Olympics.

[13606Cedargrove]

As far as I'm concerned, they can drop the Olympics altogether, both versions.

Agreed. The modern games have grown too far beyond the original vision.

[mikeg19]

Don't mind the Olympics, not a huge fan but I'll occasionally watch, more so Winter than Summer. But regardless of preference of sport, the major issue with the Olympics [[or World Cup Futbol) for that matter is the system of procuring an Olympic host site. FIFA/IOC corruption and insane requirements to host these games/tournaments have pushed the price tag into the tens of billions. Never mind the figures floated by the host country, those are almost always lowballed and the actual costs are typically much higher. Hosting an Olympics used to be an honor, a certainty to highlight your nation/city on the world map and stamp it as a great place to visit/invest $$$. Now the IOC are pushing host countries into billions in debt [[Hello Greece?), forcing them to build monumental new stadiums/hotels/infrastructure that NEVER lives up to their long term sustainability as a post game venue that is sold to the public [[Chris Illitch can probably get a Detroit Olympics based on that logic). The city looks great for 2 weeks and then the bomb goes off; hulking structures left to rot, too big to employ for further uses or draw teams to relocate, to expensive to demolish [[Looking at you Rio).

Lets be real, the only real way to move forward is 1 of 2 scenarios:

A) The IOC reduces their absurd requirements to host the Games, enticing more cities to use existing structures rather then building new, renovating those structures and improving local transit that will have long last impact on the local communities.

or

B) Have 2 permanent locations for the competitions, 1 Summer, 1 Winter, with the IOC & competing nations financing the permanent venues. If you want to change it up, maybe have 2 locations for each that rotate every other Olympic.

Rant done.

[401don]

Don't mind the Olympics, not a huge fan but I'll occasionally watch, more so Winter than Summer. But regardless of preference of sport, the major issue with the Olympics [[or World Cup Futbol) for that matter is the system of procuring an Olympic host site. FIFA/IOC corruption and insane requirements to host these games/tournaments have pushed the price tag into the tens of billions. Never mind the figures floated by the host country, those are almost always lowballed and the actual costs are typically much higher. Hosting an Olympics used to be an honor, a certainty to highlight your nation/city on the world map and stamp it as a great place to visit/invest $$$. Now the IOC are pushing host countries into billions in debt [[Hello Greece?), forcing them to build monumental new stadiums/hotels/infrastructure that NEVER lives up to their long term sustainability as a post game venue that is sold to the public [[Chris Illitch can probably get a Detroit Olympics based on that logic). The city looks great for 2 weeks and then the bomb goes off; hulking structures left to rot, too big to employ for further uses or draw teams to relocate, to expensive to demolish [[Looking at you Rio).

Lets be real, the only real way to move forward is 1 of 2 scenarios:

A) The IOC reduces their absurd requirements to host the Games, enticing more cities to use existing structures rather then building new, renovating those structures and improving local transit that will have long last impact on the local communities.

or

B) Have 2 permanent locations for the competitions, 1 Summer, 1 Winter, with the IOC & competing nations financing the permanent venues. If you want to change it up, maybe have 2 locations for each that rotate every other Olympic.

Rant done.

C) Rotate between China & Russia. It's still a great propaganda tool and way to direct your citizens' money to your friends.

[JBMcB]

Now the IOC are pushing host countries into billions in debt [[Hello Greece?), forcing them to build monumental new stadiums/hotels/infrastructure that NEVER lives up to their long term sustainability as a post game venue that is sold to the public [[Chris Illitch can probably get a Detroit Olympics based on that logic). The city looks great for 2 weeks and then the bomb goes off; hulking structures left to rot, too big to employ for further uses or draw teams to relocate, to expensive to demolish [[Looking at you Rio).

The winter Olympics are usually not *that* bad. Usually a large resort-like complex needs to be built, along with a ski jump, a large arena for ice skating events, and an Olympic grade chute for the bobsled style events. Often existing ski areas have most of these amenities.

The summer games are completely bonkers. Specialized arenas need to be built for equestrian events, sailing and rowing events, separate stadiums for soccer and baseball. A dedicated gymnastics center. Tokyo built a $300 million arena just for volleyball.

The IOC generally doesn't want you to reuse existing structures, unless they were built for previous Olympic games [[the Budokan is being re-used in Tokyo.) A college style swim center isn't going to cut it. They want a brand-new aquatics center built.

And, as pointed out, these brand-new arenas rarely get used past the Olympics. Most of Greece's arenas went unused, except the repurposing of their main arena as a new soccer field. The "bird's nest" built for the Beijing games has only been used a couple of dozen times since the 2008 Olympics, though it will be reused in the next Olympics.

The investment just never pans out. The buildings become an expensive boondoggle. Politically connected builders get their coffers filled, a bunch of poor people get land taken away from them, and the host city gets a lot of tourism for a couple of weeks. And that's it. The host city is left with billions of dollars in debt, and a bunch of specialized stadiums that are expensive to maintain and will probably never be used again.

[Danny]

A tale of two cities...

Atlanta vs. Detroit for the Summer Olympics

Atlanta at the time was mostly 60% black. It has CNN, WTVS Superstation, Turner Sports, WCW , Coca Cola and CDC.

Billionaire Ted Turner and friends put some money on the IOC Bid and flatter them with the city scape and Ted's Baseball Team the Braves winning six straight World Series titles. Theirs billions of dollars of jobs and improving their regional infrastructure.

Detroit [[back in the 1968) 60% white, black folks still stuck in their lower hoods even after their urban revolution. We have Ford, Chrysler, GM and American Motors. great regionalism the best in the northern hemisphere. But our hoods are mess up and can compensate for anyone feeding the athletes. That's horrible. If any major metropolis is the IOC bid, they better kick in some money and support fast. Otherwise it goes to the highest bidder.

[bartocktoo]

Don't mind the Olympics, not a huge fan but I'll occasionally watch, more so Winter than Summer. But regardless of preference of sport, the major issue with the Olympics [[or World Cup Futbol) for that matter is the system of procuring an Olympic host site. FIFA/IOC corruption and insane requirements to host these games/tournaments have pushed the price tag into the tens of billions. Never mind the figures floated by the host country, those are almost always lowballed and the actual costs are typically much higher. Hosting an Olympics used to be an honor, a certainty to highlight your nation/city on the world map and stamp it as a great place to visit/invest $$$. Now the IOC are pushing host countries into billions in debt [[Hello Greece?), forcing them to build monumental new stadiums/hotels/infrastructure that NEVER lives up to their long term sustainability as a post game venue that is sold to the public [[Chris Illitch can probably get a Detroit Olympics based on that logic). The city looks great for 2 weeks and then the bomb goes off; hulking structures left to rot, too big to employ for further uses or draw teams to relocate, to expensive to demolish [[Looking at you Rio).

Lets be real, the only real way to move forward is 1 of 2 scenarios:

A) The IOC reduces their absurd requirements to host the Games, enticing more cities to use existing structures rather then building new, renovating those structures and improving local transit that will have long last impact on the local communities.

or

B) Have 2 permanent locations for the competitions, 1 Summer, 1 Winter, with the IOC & competing nations financing the permanent venues. If you want to change it up, maybe have 2 locations for each that rotate every other Olympic.

Rant done.

I think "A" is what will inevitably happen. I'm not sure there will be any bidding cities if the cost of the infrastructure/bribery whatever requirements of the IOC known and unknown continue.

[mikeg19]

I think "A" is what will inevitably happen. I'm not sure there will be any bidding cities if the cost of the infrastructure/bribery whatever requirements of the IOC known and unknown continue.

I think they are finally seeing that with these last 1 or 2 bid processes. Cities are pulling out of the bids, there are protests by citizens, etc.

Don't get me wrong, it would be AWESOME if Detroit landed a Olympics in the future, but not at the current cost. How can you spend $15B on an Olympics when I-94 floods if too many toilets get flushed or bridges are falling apart onto cars or teachers are buying their own supplies for kids in shithole schools? It can't be justified when there are so many other things that need to be addressed.

[casscorridor]

It is fascinating that Detroit is the city with the most bids while failing to ever win one. And while one should never say never, it's highly unlikely that Detroit will ever host the Olympic games, at least this century.

For the summer games, there's simply too many great global cities that could easily outcompete Detroit, including many located in middle-income countries seeking international prestige. And for the winter games, Michigan is too flat to even be considered.

[Satiricalivory]

I just want another superbowl.

[EastsideAl]

I love the summer Olympics, especially track and field, and have been to several of them. But they are far too often an enormous boondoggle for the host cities. I think the IOC has now recognized this and is tending towards Plan A above. The next several summer Olympic cities are already decided - Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028, and now Brisbane 2032. Both Paris and LA have most of major facilities already built and will be renovating and reusing them for their games, like the Coliseum and Staples Center in LA and the Stade de France and La Defense Arena in Paris.

The winter games are in big trouble though. First of all, less than half the world, and not the fastest growing parts, pays any attention to them. Secondly, global warming is making the citing of venues increasingly difficult and the costs to operate and maintain them ever more prohibitive. Third, the most expensive venues that have to be built for the winter games, ski jumps, speed skating ovals, and bobsled/luge courses, don't have much prospect for profitable reuse. Then there's the desire of the IOC poobahs, sponsor VIPs, and the media to hold these games in big cities that aren't actually winter sports areas. So the cross-country events next year will be held 140 miles from Beijing. For the 2026 "Milano" games most of the outdoor events will actually be held over 200 miles, or a 5 hour drive or train ride, away from Milan.

In any event, Detroit seems extremely unlikely [[thank goodness) to be jumping back into the Olympic bidding game any time in the foreseeable future.

[bust]

Hosting the Olympics has been a boondoggle almost always. Ordinary citizens don't benefit, it's the IOC which derives its profits from broadcast licenses and advertising, IOC officials who accept bribes [only some of them], and the construction companies, local politicians, and other intermediaries who bribe and share the business and inevitable cost overruns.

Every defender of hosting the Olympics always points to Barcelona as an example of the Olympics "putting it on the map." That was 29 years ago; there have been 14 Olympics since then. Besides, it was inevitable Barcelona would become a tourist destination. Anyone who has ever been there knows that.

Kara Swisher interviewed the former VP of the IOC just before the start of the latest games. They discuss many of these issues. You can listen here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/19/o...ick-pound.html

It's interesting what has happened to former Olympics venues. So many are abandoned, disused, and have fallen into disrepair. Even ones built for the Summer games, even in Beijing. That wasn't long ago. Let alone what happens after the Winter games. Just what are you supposed to do with a bobsled track?

Terrible use of public funds.

[KnnNike]

It is fascinating that Detroit is the city with the most bids while failing to ever win one. And while one should never say never, it's highly unlikely that Detroit will ever host the Olympic games, at least this century.

For the summer games, there's simply too many great global cities that could easily outcompete Detroit, including many located in middle-income countries seeking international prestige. And for the winter games, Michigan is too flat to even be considered.

Some might argue that Detroit, taken in isolation, is not that different from the candidate cities in some of these countries.

[renf]

I did not see any mention in this thread about Detroit's bid for the 1928 games or the 1940 Olympic games that were never took place. At least, the pools in Rouge Park were created for the 1928 games and were refurbished by the state about a decade ago. That Olympic bid for the 1928 games at least resulted in a facility that is still attractive and in use now.

[mikefmich]

I don't read all the threads on here either. But, I remember posting on an Olympic thread before. It was cool at first to read that Detroit made past bids, but when I click and see a new thread with the same deja vu stuff in it, it ends up being a waste of my time.

It takes only half a minute to click on "search site" on the left side of the screen and type in "olympics". It's one thing if you had something new to add to the discussion like say if Obama were gonna give Detroit a billion dollars to set up the infrastructure for an Olympic bid, but you're just rehashing the same old stuff. If you're rehashing, bump the old thread so I don't have to waste my time rereading the same points again. Don't be "a lazy guy"...

If I may suggest, don't click?

I been around here for awhile, the search function sucks IMHO.