The USOC unveiled a new $8M Visitors Center and $11.8M
Athlete Center as part of the dedication of a $23.8M
renovation project at the U.S. Olympic Sports Complex in
Colorado Springs on Saturday, according to Mike Spence of
the Colorado Springs GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH. USOC Exec Dir Dick
Schultz predicted the complex would attract between 300,000-
400,000 visitors to the area in the next year. The land for
the facility was sold to the USOC by the city of Colorado
Springs for $1 (GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH, 4/27). Funds for the new
facility were raised privately from area philanthropic
organizations as well as companies including Coors, AT&T and
US WEST (Lisa Riley Roche, DESERET NEWS, 4/27).
WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED: SLOC President Tom Welch and
the USOC's John Krimsky met over the weekend and were
"believed to be putting the finishing touches" on a
sponsorship deal. So far, only Coca-Cola is "on board" for
the 2002 games, although "several" deals are "reportedly
ready to go" once the IOC approves the terms of Salt Lake
City's joint marketing agreement with the USOC, "expected"
to happen next month (Lisa Riley Roche, DESERET NEWS, 4/27).
SALT LAKE ON TRACK: In Salt Lake, IOC President Juan
Antonio Samaranch said SLOC organizers are "on the right
track." Samaranch: "They should have one of the best Winter
Olympics ever in 2002." Samaranch added that relations
between the IOC and the USOC, "the most important of the
IOC's national Olympic committees," are "the best they've
ever been" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH, 4/27).
OLYMPIC QUOTEBOARD: On "The Sports Reporters," Mitch
Albom, on the Dream Team continuing to represent the U.S. in
the 2000 Olympics: "NBA players appreciate the Olympics the
way Metallica appreciates Beethoven. ... So why are we
sending them? Why to make the NBA richer of course. To
sell players' faces and shoes and clothing. This is not
about patriotism, it's about marketing" (ESPN, 4/27).
...Michael Jordan, on Magic Johnson's statement that he
wants to play in the 2000 Olympics only if Jordan will:
"Then I guess he ain't playing" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/28).
