 |
|
|
"We've heard through the grapevine throughout the track and field community that something like this is what track and field needs," Houston 2012 president Susan Bandy said. Houston is the third stop by the U.S. Olympic Committee of the four cities competing to be the U.S. representative in bidding for the 2012 Summer Games. The committee already has visited Washington and New York, and after touring sites in Houston on Friday and Saturday, will inspect facilities in San Francisco. The USOC will cut the U.S. candidates to two in September and announce the nominee in early November to compete against worldwide competition to stage the 2012 Olympics. Houston 2012 considers its Astrodome and concise venue plans its strong points in bidding against the other U.S. cities. "I can't speak for what the other cities are doing, but I do know that with the Astrodome we'll have the only climate-controlled stadium," Bandy said. "That's something nobody else can claim and that's going to be a big deal." As an added attraction for the visiting USOC, Bandy said committee members each will get hand-held computers for their two-day visit. The computers are prototypes of an information system that would be given to each athlete if the city holds the Olympics. USOC visitors will get taped testimonials on the computers during their tour of the city's Olympic venues. "It's something that's always been in our bid package," Bandy said. "This is just one of the fun things. We think they will enjoy it. It will be an incredible piece of equipment for the athletes when they are here. "It will contain all kinds of information. If they got lost, they could find their way on the computer." Bandy said the concept was being prepared for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. "We feel really good about everything," Bandy said. "We are already there with our technical bid. We will now be showing them our cultural and international side and the celebration aspects of the Olympics being here." Mayor Lee Brown is promoting the city's international flavor. "We are a miniature world, because we represent people all over the world," Brown said. "One in eight Houston residents was born in another country. We welcome all immigrants, because they contribute to the economy. We see diversity as an asset, not a detriment." The USOC tour will include some venue sites, including Compaq Center, home of the NBA Houston Rockets; the University of Houston campus, which would house many of the athletes; and Reliant Stadium, which would hold the opening and closing ceremonies along with the Astrodome. John Kelley, founder of the Olympic movement in Houston, thinks the city's experience holding Olympic events such as the Olympic Festival in 1986, the Olympic media summit in 2000 and international boxing events will help Houston's cause. "All of those things were firsts for the city, so I feel that gives us something to show that the other cities don't have," Kelley said. "I think it comes down to things that have happened in Houston already." [Source: Michael A.
Lutz , Associated Press, July 11, 2002] |
|
|
Copyright Women'Sports Services ©1995-2002 |
|
HOUSTON,
TX Still glowing over its plan to make the Astrodome
a first-of-its-kind track and field stadium, Houston officials
prepared for another round of scrutiny by the USOC on Friday in its
bid for the 2012 Olympics.