COLORADO SPRINGS — One obvious question arising from Chicago’s failure to win the 2016 Summer Games: Does this setback for the U.S. Olympic movement improve Denver’s chances of hosting a Winter Games?
Perhaps it does, if only in the sense that if Chicago hosted the 2016 Games, it would have been less likely for the International Olympic Committee to award the 2022 Winter Games to an American city. The U.S Olympic Committee long ago ruled out making a bid for the 2018 Winter Games.
Beyond that, it’s far too early to speculate on how today’s decision affects Denver. The USOC was adamant through the 2016 bid process that it would consider no future bids until Chicago’s fate was determined.
Now the USOC must decide whether to bid for another Games, and if so, which one. It’s a time-consuming process, and Denver will just have to wait for guidance from the USOC.
“It’s not cities that bid, it’s national Olympic committees that bid,” said KeiAnn Brownell, president of the Metro Denver Sports Commission. “If we were to get the green light, I think we would be prepared to consider it. Whatever the sporting event, Denver has essentially everything we need to host a myriad of sporting events, and we have a number of ongoing bid efforts.”
The Metro Denver Sports Commission was represented at the IOC meeting in Copenhagen by chairman Steve McConahey and founder Rob Cohen.
“We have an ongoing international effort,” said Brownell, who is in Minneapolis on Chamber of Commerce business. “To be considered for any international sporting event, you have to be present. You don’t miss big events, because you need to be supportive of the entire movement.”
Gov. Bill Ritter has talked in the past about bidding for the Winter Olympics — including the 2018 Games the USOC insisted it would not pursue — and he reiterated his position today.
“In Colorado, our interest in attracting and hosting world-class athletic events, including the Olympics, remains extremely high, and we will follow the guidance of the USOC when it comes to any Olympic efforts,” Ritter said in a statement. “As we consider possible next steps, I look forward to working with Mayor Hickenlooper, the Metro Denver Sports Commission and the U.S. Olympic Committee in the near future.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
