Detroit's 6 failed bids for the Olympic Games

[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.