The Reno-Tahoe Winter Games Coalition is still open to a better-timed Olympic bid in the futureSQUAW VALLEY
The Reno-Tahoe Winter Games Coalition said that hosting a future Olympics is "not financially feasible for the region and declined a bid invitation" from the USOC to "participate in an accelerated process to decide the next U.S. city to host," according to Bill Rozak of the TAHOE DAILY TRIBUNE. The RTWGC said that it was "honored to have been included with Denver and Salt Lake City as a possible host" for the '30 Games and that it "reviewed the process with 'significant deliberation' and didn't come to the decision 'lightly.'" The USOC's invitation "requested RTWGC submit responses to a detailed workbook covering the areas of bid vision, venue planning, transportation planning, security, budgets and public engagements, among other topics, with a submission deadline of Nov. 9" (TAHOEDAILYTRIBUNE.com, 11/12). RTWGC CEO Jon Killoran said that the decision is "not about the area’s ability to handle the games," but is due to a "complicated and crowded world sports schedule could take the air out of a local Olympics bid." Killoran said that L.A. hosting the '28 Games and the U.S hosting the '26 FIFA World Cup "would leave Reno-Tahoe a too-short window in which to market and gather sponsors" for the '30 Games. Killoran said the RTWGC is "not going anywhere" and added that if there is "ever a possibility for a better-timed Olympic bid, the region is up for it" (RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL, 11/13).
THE PROCESS CONTINUES: In Salt Lake City, Christopher Kamrani in a front-page piece reports the withdrawal of Reno-Tahoe "leaves the USOC with two options" -- Salt Lake City and Denver. The USOC is "scheduled to have a five-person team visit Utah on Wednesday to go through a full-day on-site look at how the city and state have prepped for a potential Olympic return." USOC officials along with local leadership "will travel throughout the state to check venues" from the '02 Games (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 11/13). Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski are "expected to help host the USOC officials at a luncheon" at Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the '02 Opening and Closing ceremonies were held. Biskupski, who also is co-Chair of the Salt Lake Executive Committee for the Games, said that her city "continues to have a strong bid backed by significant community support." Colorado Gov.-elect Jared Polis in June indicated that he "would oppose a Winter Games bid because only millionaires and the business community benefit while the rest of the population shoulders the debt" (DESERET NEWS, 11/13).
