Detroit's 6 failed bids for the Olympic Games

**Patrick** · July-29-11, 07:06 PM

I have always known that Detroit made a failed bid for the1968 Olympics. Hell John F. Kennedy even made a speech touting Detroit’s bidfor the games. What I didn’t know is that Detroit bid for the Olympics in 1952,1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972…sounds like somebody was absolutely hell-benton getting the Olympics. It just seems odd that after 6 attempts Detroit couldn’tsnag the games. Some cities only bid once or twice and eventually find success.I always thought it was a one-time thing but had no idea Detroit’s leaderspushed for the games.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Di6YmCLZgc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bids_for_Olympic_Games

**Hypestyles** · July-29-11, 11:03 PM

curious.. so, when will local and regional leadership come together to bid again? Never mind...

lilpup · July-30-11, 01:23 AM

Most modern Olympic cities don't benefit from the Games in the long run.

**JBMcB** · July-30-11, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by lilpup

Most modern Olympic cities don't benefit from the Games in the long run.

Yeah, the cities usually get hosed. Even when the federal government steps in and pays for stuff - it's a huge drain on city resources. The Olympics committee doesn't pay for anything, all the costs for building stadiums, housing, and public services fall on the hosting country/city. The 2004 games helped to bankrupt Greece - it cost billions of dollars they didn't have.

**Woodward's Cousin** · July-30-11, 07:49 AM

As I recall, a gentleman named Douglas Roby, Sr. , then a prominent Detroit businessman, was a prime mover in some or all of these efforts.
I am not certain that either the level of required investment, or the financial burden on cities with more recent winning bids, was of a similar magnitude with respect to winning bids the years of the Detroit bids referenced above.
I do recall --from a combination of reading and personal recollection--that there was cohesive local support for the bids, and leadership from the Mayor's Office,

**firstandten** · July-30-11, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Yeah, the cities usually get hosed. Even when the federal government steps in and pays for stuff - it's a huge drain on city resources. The Olympics committee doesn't pay for anything, all the costs for building stadiums, housing, and public services fall on the hosting country/city. The 2004 games helped to bankrupt Greece - it cost billions of dollars they didn't have.

Unless the city can use the various buildings and facilities afterward it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Atlanta was a good example of needed housing and athletic facilities being used by colleges and universities after the games.

The Olympic stadium became Turner field home of the Braves
The housing village became part of Georgia State Univ which is mostly a communter type school
The swimming and diving venue became part of Georgia Tech
The Basketball venue was taken over by Morehouse College
Centennial Park became part of the downtown landscape

Its seems at least in Atlanta's case it got needed infrastruture improvements as a result.

**davewindsor** · July-30-11, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick

I have always known that Detroit made a failed bid for the1968 Olympics. Hell John F. Kennedy even made a speech touting Detroit’s bidfor the games. What I didn’t know is that Detroit bid for the Olympics in 1952,1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972…sounds like somebody was absolutely hell-benton getting the Olympics. It just seems odd that after 6 attempts Detroit couldn’tsnag the games. Some cities only bid once or twice and eventually find success.I always thought it was a one-time thing but had no idea Detroit’s leaderspushed for the games.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Di6YmCLZgc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bids_for_Olympic_Games

You are aware that by typing in "Olympic Games" after clicking "search site" at the left side of the screen will show you years of threads on the same topic, right? http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...20-Olympic-bid Post 15 mentions previous bids as do many other threads on the olympics..

**Meddle** · July-30-11, 08:46 AM

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

**rjk** · July-30-11, 09:00 AM

I don't think Montreal got out from under debt from the 76 games for close to 30 years.

Growing up in the 70's I use to love the summer olympics. Maybe I was just Naive back then, but all the cheating that's been uncovered over the last 15-20 years makes them unwatchable for me.
The winter game are somewhat interesting in small doses.

**JBMcB** · July-30-11, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

Atlanta was a good example of needed housing and athletic facilities being used by colleges and universities after the games.

The Olympic stadium became Turner field home of the Braves
The housing village became part of Georgia State Univ which is mostly a communter type school
The swimming and diving venue became part of Georgia Tech
The Basketball venue was taken over by Morehouse College
Centennial Park became part of the downtown landscape

That's great - but did Atlanta *NEED* these stadiums? Did the privately owned Braves *require* a new publicly subsidized stadium?

This stuff isn't free. The costs stack up along with the rest of the massive debt we are accruing. Then it has to be maintained. Meanwhile we are laying off teachers, ambulances and buses are breaking down, etc...

If Detroit got a whole bunch of new stadiums and parks, assuming the construction money fell from heaven, with what money will they maintain them with? More money from heaven?

**Patrick** · July-30-11, 10:56 AM

You are aware that by typing in "Olympic Games" after clicking "search site"
at the left side of the screen will show you years of threads on the same topic,
right? http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...20-Olympic-bid
Post 15 mentions previous bids as do many other threads on the
olympics..

Didn't know Lowell died and made you God...

**mikeg19** · July-30-11, 11:11 AM

Wasn't there some speculation the past couple years that Detroit was going to potentially place future bids for the summer Olympics? Could have sworn I heard something regarding a future bid.

**ghettopalmetto** · July-30-11, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

That's great - but did Atlanta *NEED* these stadiums? Did the privately owned Braves *require* a new publicly subsidized stadium?

This stuff isn't free. The costs stack up along with the rest of the massive debt we are accruing. Then it has to be maintained. Meanwhile we are laying off teachers, ambulances and buses are breaking down, etc...

...and Atlanta was chastised by the international community for hosting a games that was "too corporate". The City recruited local sponsors--often hocking their wares outside of venues--who weren't official Olympic sponsors. I think I recall the City's response as "Well, that's just American culture."

**davewindsor** · July-30-11, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

Didn't know Lowell died and made you God...

If I were God, I would delete this thread because it is an exact rehash of the same points made in earlier threads about the Detroit Olympics. You think you discovered some new revelation, while most of the readers remember the old threads. It's nothing new. In fact, I think there's a rule that here that if you're making the same old points, you have to bump the earlier thread.

lilpup · July-30-11, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

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

The nice thing about the Olympics is that sports that are often more demanding than the usual professional sports finally get a bit of a spotlight and their winners get the smallest of chances to gain some recognition for their efforts and achievements.

**Patrick** · July-30-11, 02:01 PM

Sorry, I have to much shit to do in regular life...I don't have the time to immerse myself in DYes even though I have been here for a decade. If you post here enough to recall the aspects of the past 400 threads then I think you need to spend a lil bit moree time out in the real world. Don't be a Rasputin...

Dave, don't be that guy.

http://www.netaddiction.com/

**davewindsor** · July-30-11, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

Sorry, I have to much shit to do in regular life...I don't have the time to immerse myself in DYes even though I have been here for a decade. If you post here enough to recall the aspects of the past 400 threads then I think you need to spend a lil bit moree time out in the real world. Don't be a Rasputin...

Dave, don't be that guy.

http://www.netaddiction.com/

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"...

**CLAUDE G** · July-30-11, 08:17 PM

Thank God we didn't get the Olympic games, or Tiger Stadium would have been torn down 40 years ago.

Honestly I don't care for the Olympics period. What really turned me off was when they tried to charge for it and made it available on PPV.

There was no way I was going to pay $100 to watch the Olympics.

**Gsgeorge** · July-31-11, 08:52 AM

Claude, I don't really remember ever having to pay to watch the Olympics. on TV. It's pretty much the ONLY thing on TV while it's going on.

I think Detroit should make an Olympics bid, and soon. It is perfectly catered for this city. We're massively in debt, we have tons of available land and alterable infrastructure, we have a practically unused waterfront, a spectacular park system, and we're willing to do it for cheaper than any other city. Detroit would see an influx of billions of dollars, leveraging us out of our massive debt and enabling all of the projects to restore and rebuild the city. The Olympics would certainly bring with it new structures and venues and new uses for our vacant land, but also the certain restoration of the Michigan Central Station and other important historic structures in the city. The eyes of the world would be transfixed on our community's pride and history, focussing the charitable and public effort to lift Detroit out of its spate of misfortunes and hardships.

**dtowncitylover** · July-31-11, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Woodward's Cousin

As I recall, a gentleman named Douglas Roby, Sr. , then a prominent Detroit businessman, was a prime mover in some or all of these efforts.
I am not certain that either the level of required investment, or the financial burden on cities with more recent winning bids, was of a similar magnitude with respect to winning bids the years of the Detroit bids referenced above.
I do recall --from a combination of reading and personal recollection--that there was cohesive local support for the bids, and leadership from the Mayor's Office,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Roby

**CLAUDE G** · August-01-11, 02:59 AM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Claude, I don't really remember ever having to pay to watch the Olympics. on TV. It's pretty much the ONLY thing on TV while it's going on.

I think Detroit should make an Olympics bid, and soon. It is perfectly catered for this city. We're massively in debt, we have tons of available land and alterable infrastructure, we have a practically unused waterfront, a spectacular park system, and we're willing to do it for cheaper than any other city. Detroit would see an influx of billions of dollars, leveraging us out of our massive debt and enabling all of the projects to restore and rebuild the city. The Olympics would certainly bring with it new structures and venues and new uses for our vacant land, but also the certain restoration of the Michigan Central Station and other important historic structures in the city. The eyes of the world would be transfixed on our community's pride and history, focussing the charitable and public effort to lift Detroit out of its spate of misfortunes and hardships.

Yea, if we are not going to pay for it then im all for it.

As long as they don't build on Michigan and Trumbull, im all for it.

**Barbara Nadel** · August-01-11, 03:56 AM

We have the Olympics in London next year and it is already a very vexed issue. A lot of money has been spent and very few jobs have materialised. Most local people are tired of it already. What will happen to the site afterwards? I assume what usually happens which is that some bits are bought by wealthy developers and the rest just falls apart.

bartock · August-01-11, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Wasn't there some speculation the past couple years that Detroit was going to potentially place future bids for the summer Olympics? Could have sworn I heard something regarding a future bid.

2006. Not sure what started the rumor, other than speculation as to the 2020 games. It had some legs for about 2 seconds. There is a comment by "Mod" a little ways down that says it all about a Detroit-Windsor bid.

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/76017/80571.html

**Hypestyles** · August-01-11, 09:18 AM

...I'm still mad about Isiah Thomas not getting chosen for the 1992 USA team.

Christian Laetner??!?

**iheartthed** · August-01-11, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Wasn't there some speculation the past couple years that Detroit was going to potentially place future bids for the summer Olympics? Could have sworn I heard something regarding a future bid.

The expectation is that the US will not bid for the 2020 games due to some sort of money dispute between the USOC and the IOC. If true then the earliest Detroit could bid would be 2024...