ACOG COO A.D. Frazier was interviewed by CNN's Lou Dobbs on"Moneyline" about the Games' finances. Frazier: "With 479 daysto go, we're in pretty good shape. ... We are going to be on timeand on budget in July of 1996." Frazier said criticism a yearago that the Atlanta business community wasn't working togetherhas changed: "With a deadline, people tend to come togetheraround important decisions." Frazier, on the ticket policy:"We're talking about putting on eight Super Bowls a day for 17days." Frazier said ticket prices are within 90% of in L.A. '84,after an inflation adjustment and with the exception of theopening and closing ceremonies. On sponsorship, Frazier notedthat four more are waiting to be announced. Frazier: "Frankly,the sponsor interest is continuing to grow, it's a strategicmarketing opportunity for American business" ("MoneyLine," CNN,3/28). TIX STICKLERS: CNN's Steve Young reported on thecontroversies surrounding '96 tickets. Young noted prices of$50-$200 that were the norm for big events such as the openingand closing ceremonies in '84: "In Atlanta, those prices aregone with the wind." In '96, those events will range from $212-636. Young said the new ticket policies for these games thatrequire payment far in advance for tickets combined with the highprices, is "designed to make ticket scalpers jump high hurdles."The money will be held by ACOG from the ticket due date in Mayuntil September or October, interest free. Bradley Stillman, ofthe Legislative Consumer Federation of America, is not pleasedwith the system: "I'm not so sure this does anything to hold downscalping of seats, what it does do is it allows the Olympics touse consumers' money at no charge" ("MoneyLine," 3/28). BUBBA'S EXCITED: President Bill Clinton and VP Al Goreaddressed ACOG volunteers in Atlanta. Clinton: "The UnitedStates needs the Olympics to remind us that every time we worktogether, we keep our eye on the future, we have a set ofhonorable rules by which we play, and we try to lift each otherup, we do quite well" ("MoneyLine," CNN, 3/28)
