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Seattle looking at possible 2024 Olympic bid

March 21, 2013 @ 2:02 pm (Updated: 6:08 am - 3/22/13 )

olympic
The Seattle Sports Commission confirms it has been given the go ahead to hold "informal" talks with the U.S. Olympic committee to bring the 2024 Summer games to Seattle. (AP file) (AP)

By Josh Kerns

A lot of people believe Seattle had a good shot at getting the 2012 Olympic Games that ended up in London. But despite some deep-pocketed backing, the City Council killed the effort before it got off the ground. Now, there's talk the city could again be making a move to host the 2024 Summer games.

According to SportspressNW.com, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn's office has asked the Seattle Sports Commission to enter into "informal" talks with the United States Olympic Committee about a possible bid. The move follows a generic inquiry sent by USOC to 35 major cities that had either previously expressed an interest in bidding or were among the 25 biggest U.S. markets.

"It's not a bid, it's just an opportunity for us to consider whether we want to be considered," Ralph Morton, executive director of the SSC, told SportspressNW. "We'll hear more. It's discovery time for us. It's an opportunity to learn more and find out what that means. There are no commitments involved."

It won't be an easy sell. In the past it has cost millions just to make a bid. USOC CEO Scott A. Blacknum told McGinn in a letter it cost New York and Chicago "upwards of $10 million" just to be designated a bid city.

"You're asking a city to spend $10 million it doesn't have just to basically pay for the application fee to become, if you're lucky, the United States official nominee to the international process," said KIRO Radio's Luke Burbank in a discussion about the possibility of Seattle throwing its hat in the ring.

USOC is promising to streamline the process and lower the cost for interested cities. But that's a drop in the bucket compared to the billions a city would have to be willing to commit for construction, operations and infrastructure. A price tag that gives KIRO Radio's Tom Tangney pause even though he's an admitted backer of both the Olympics and big civic projects in general.

"It would be nice, I suppose, but it cost London $15 billion to pull that sucker off. It would have to be economically within the realm of some kind of reasonable reality that we live with for me to actually go for it," Tangney said.

Still Burbank argued it could be worth it.

"What would be great about it would be all of the infrastructure that would end up being created for this and some times that's what you need," he said.

"The Space Needle, the Monorail, most of the Seattle Center , a variety of other things in this town only exist because we were basically getting ready for the World's Fair."

Bob Walsh couldn't agree more. The Seattle businessman who helped bring the Goodwill Games to town in 1990 and was part of the last Olympic bid effort said in an interview with KIRO Radio last summer the benefits far outweigh the costs.

"I'm one of those believers for economic development, for visibility, for so many different things that an event like that brings. It's extremely important," he said.

The Seattle City Council felt differently at the time (2006), voting 8-1 to prohibit Walsh and his committee from going forward, ending the effort.

"If we can raise the money for the bid without costing city I say go for it," argued Burbank.

The SSC is now waiting to hear back from USOC about next steps and what it would take to become the U.S. bid city for the 2024 games. But Morton emphasized that in no way means the city will take any steps to be officially considered.

Los Angeles has already expressed an interest in bidding, and San Francisco, Dallas and Tulsa are all reportedly interested as well.

USOC reportedly hopes to narrow its list of candidates to two or three by early next year, with a decision made later in the year. The International Olympic Committee will choose from among five bid cities in 2017.

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Comments (15)


  • Add A Comment

  • itiswhatitis wrote...
    Seattle it's a beautiful thought, but come on
    March 21, 2013 3:33 pm
    You might get considered but because as a city you are so passive agressive and can't agree on ANYTHING that allows the city to move forward, you will lose the bid. You gave up your basketball team beacuse "there were more important things" then when they did leave you learned alot of people really liked sports (and spending money in your city). You fight over everything so please don't embarass us any more than you already do. You either are a city that embraces change and moves forward, or you are a city that stays the same because that's what we do. It is a love hate relationship that needs to change.
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  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    Only My Opinion..........
    March 21, 2013 3:53 pm
    But here lies a complete waste of time and resources.

    The city and / or state, will appoint a huge committee who will then fly all over the world (with an unlimited bank account on the taxpayers dime) staying in the finest hotels and eating the finest food (for years) trying to schmooze the IOC into thinking that Seattle is a viable option for the Olympics.

    Seattle would have a better chance getting the Super Bowl than it ever would landing this huge fish.

    Now if the IOC were awarding Olympics to bureaucrats who specialized in cost overruns on a project........this are would win hands down.

    Then again........what do I know?

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  • Glover W wrote...
    A good way to bankrupt the city
    March 21, 2013 4:02 pm
    This is a great way to bankrupt the region. look at what happened to Whistler/Blackcombe. The resort went bankrupt as a result of building the infrastructure for the olympics. This is a huge SCAM and Seattle would do well to avoid the olympics.
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  • Kosh wrote...
    Go for it
    March 21, 2013 4:07 pm
    After the people riot and burn down the city Seattle will be dead as a liberal town for good.
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  • Mavila wrote...
    The model isn't very good...
    March 21, 2013 4:26 pm
    I'd say pass. The return on investment just isn't there. It's been a loser in recent history.
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  • sissy2 wrote...
    Remember the last time?
    March 21, 2013 8:39 pm
    They wanted all businesses to change their names. Anything with Olympic in the name must be changed. at least for the duration of the Olympics. I'm sure that would sit well with all the thousands of businesses! Remember the London Olympics where that restaurant has to drop the "O" from their sign to stay in business during the games. No thanks.
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  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    It would require the USGS
    March 22, 2013 2:43 am
    To temporarily rename those mountains and penninsula left of Seattle until after the closing ceremonies.
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  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    I can see the opening ceremonies now
    March 22, 2013 2:40 am
    A million umbrellas and cars parked on I-5 & I-90. It would certainly top the 74' Expo in Spokane though.
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  • murr wrote...
    Ya right, We cant even afford (manage) ourselves
    March 22, 2013 4:19 am
    But I guess, thats what dreams are made for. Just watch, how much this dream will cost tax payers. If seattle could only manage a popsickle stand. THAT WOULD BE TO MUCH.
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  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    will all the construction projects and viaduct be completed by then?
    March 22, 2013 5:45 am
    can you imagine the traffic? Good thing i will have moved from this liberal hell hole by then.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • calapete wrote...
    To host the Olympics you need a united front
    March 22, 2013 8:14 am
    As we have seen, there are a lot of businesses and politicians who don't see the benefit, only the up front cost and work.

    I am for it. I hope this time around my council members and business leaders are too.

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