Melbourne "should bid to host the Olympic Games once more, business, sport, tourism and political leaders say," according to Peter Rolfe of the HERALD SUN.
Victoria Premier Denis Napthine "has vowed to investigate pitching to bring the greatest sporting show on earth back to Melbourne, which hosted the Games in 1956."
And Committee for Melbourne chief Kate Roffey said that "we should not stop there."
She said that "the city should campaign to host a major new golf tournament, NBA basketball matches, and Major League baseball games." Napthine said that "the city and the state had both the facilities and the reputation to host an Olympics." He said, "We have some of the best sporting arenas anywhere in the world and our reputation for hosting major events is unmatched." Roffey said that Victoria "should broaden its international sporting horizons." She said, "I definitely think an Olympics is on the agenda" (HERALD SUN, 8/14). ABC NEWS reported opposition major events spokesperson John Eren said that "Labor was open to the idea if it won government this year." Eren: "We used to be the sporting capital of the world, but we're second now to the U.K., so we've lost our title and we need to get that back." Melbourne "put in a bid to host the 1996 Olympics, but was unsuccessful, losing to Atlanta."
Shane Maloney, who was the cultural director for the unsuccessful bid, "likened the idea of Melbourne bidding for the Olympics again to 'binge drinking.'" He said, "Everyone gets really excited and the gifts start flowing and there's a reception of hot and cold running canapés and there are flags and you win the bid and of course, it's all going on your credit card. You wake up the next day after a fabulous party and you realise you're going to be paying it off for eternity" (ABC NEWS, 8/14).
