The USOC's Exec Committee canceled plans for a '97 U.S.
Olympic Festival Saturday "and left doubts as to whether there
would ever be another one," writes Tom Kensler in the DENVER
POST. Kensler reports that "officially, the Festival was
cancelled for logistical reasons" as a site had yet to be chosen.
"Unofficially, the '97 Festival may have been sacrificed for the
'96 Summer Olympic Games," as the estimated $4.5M needed to stage
the Festival will be used on the USOC's "Home Field '96" program
-- which will fund athletes with medal potential for '96. A task
force meets in September to decide the format of future
festivals, beginning in '99. Kensler reports that it is
"expected that the next Festival will include foreign athletes."
However, there are doubts about '99. Bob Walsh, who headed
Seattle's bid for the '97 Festival: "I really doubt there will
be another Festival. ... If you take the money and allocate it
elsewhere for a few years, it's going to be tough to get it back"
(DENVER POST, 7/23). In Chicago, Julie Deardorff writes that
USOC officials "seem lost at sea" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/23). In
Richmond, where officials were hoping to play host in '97 or '99,
officials said they have spent $150,000 in preparations for a bid
and don't know if they will bid for '99 (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH,
7/23). In Washington, Tom Knott reports that the USOC may adopt
a concept of spreading Festival events across the country in
places that they are popular with each "under the umbrella of the
Olympic Festival" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 7/22).
MILE HIGH EXPECTATIONS? Colorado officials had estimated
that they would sell $2.4M in tickets for this year's Festival,
but they have only hit $1.6M -- short of the break even point of
$1.9M. Festival Co-Chair Tim Leiweke: "We're confident we'll
make it" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/23). Many blame Denver's rise as a
pro sports town since the Festival was awarded in '91 for the
slow ticket sales. Denver has gained the Rockies and Nordiques
since that time and an improved Nuggets team (Ara Najarian, L.A.
TIMES, 7/23). Festival '95 Exec Dir Jack McDonald: "10,000
people who have put down $200 for their season tickets for the
NHL -- that's $2 million we would have liked to had a piece of"
("Sports Tonight," CNN, 7/22). In Boston, John Powers writes
"having the events spread among Denver, Boulder and Colorado
Springs doesn't help, either" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/24). Only 4,373
attended Saturday's figure skating competition at McNichols Arena
(ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/23).
