Keeping The Ring: USOC Agrees To Maintain HQs In Colorado Springs

The USOC yesterday accepted an offer "designed to keep" its HQs in Colorado Springs, according to Laden & Schwab of the Colorado Springs GAZETTE. Earlier yesterday, the Colorado Springs City Council approved in a 7-1 vote a $53M "package of incentives." USOC Chair Peter Ueberroth said that the organization's BOD "unanimously voted to accept" the city's proposal. As part of the incentive package, the city and Colorado Springs-based real estate company LandCo Equity Partners will provide the USOC with "90,000 square feet of office space in a downtown building" to serve as the USOC's new HQs. The USOC can lease the space for $1 annually over 25 years, and will "assume ownership of the building at the end of that period." Also as part of the deal, Colorado Springs can "bill itself as the hometown of the USOC and use the Olympic rings and other trademarks in marketing" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 4/1). Ueberroth would "not discuss why the USOC decided to stay" in the city nor would he name other cities that were in contention for its HQs. In Denver, Erin Emery reports the plan calls for an "empty building west of downtown to be renovated into offices for several national governing bodies that manage U.S. participation in Olympic events." The city also "plans to build an Olympic Promenade to connect the two facilities" (DENVER POST, 4/1). World Business Chicago Exec Dir Rita Athas, whose company in conjunction with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's office had talked with the USOC about relocating the HQs to Chicago, said, "There was a strong feeling that due to their 30-year roots in Colorado Springs, that was where they were going to stay" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/1).

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