Yeah, Let's Have the Olympics in Philly
Photo: GPTMC
You see, I really like the Olympics and other assorted major events. One of the first blog posts I wrote (not well) on this site was about Philly being named a finalist as one of the host cities for the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. The post was basically just a picture of a hot Brazilian and a horribly-spelled idiom… but the sentiment was there– please let Philly host a big event other than a stupid concert on the Parkway.
So, now, you’re telling me there’a chance: [Philly.com]
Mayor Nutter told the U. S. Olympic Committee Monday that the Philadelphia region is interested in bidding on the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Responding to a February 19 letter sent by the national Olympic organization to 35 cities in the United States, Nutter said he was “honored to confirm our whole-hearted commitment and interest in working with the USOC to bid on the 2024 Games.”
Spokesman Mark McDonald said the city’s expression of interest was “just an incremental development” in the long process of choosing the 2024 Olympic venue. The U.S. Olympic committee will first decide on several U. S. finalists, then pick a single candidate to compete for the backing of the international Olympic organization.
Yes and please.
Now, there’s a long way to go here, and this would still fall under the category of unlikely. But there’s a chance, and I love that. Think about it (I have): soccer at the Linc and PPL Park, gymnastics at the Wells Fargo Center, basketball at a renovated Palestra, random indoor sport at Liacouras Center, rowing on the Schuylkill, equestrian at Franklin Field, beach volleyball at – ready for this? – Citizens Bank Park (would require a long road trip for the Phillies), sailing off the coast of Avalon– it’s all here. Of course, an Olympic Stadium and aquatics center would need to be built, but that’s the case with every city. The aquatics center could be constructed on the Delaware, and Olympic Village and Olympic Stadium perhaps at the Navy Yard, as previously pointed out by Philly Shark.
With all of the college venues, easy access to mountains and beaches, trails, and two rivers, Philly is better equipped than most cities to handle something like this. The subway system would need to be beefed up, but access isn’t a problem: there are six capable airports within two hours driving distance– Philly, three in New York, Baltimore, and Atlantic City. And Philly was one of five US finalists for the 2016 games, so the committee sees the potential, too.
I was in London this summer for the Paralympics (two weeks after the Olympics), and the atmosphere even for that was like nothing you’ve ever seen. The city was still wearing its best face, random athletes from far-flung countries were seen around town, and Olympic Park was spectacular. Holding a major event like this would allow – demand – significant public works projects, which growing Philly needs. Of course, there’s the flip side to those massive and expensive renovations: Beijing. But, well, we’re not China. So let’s make this happen.
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Barely related: Back in August, I wrote this about Ryan Lochte. Tell me I’m not a prophet:
Somehow, Lochte has turned his one individual gold medal into an empire of douchedom, which we fully expect to extend into the Great 48. Commercials, clothing lines, Dancing With The Stars– it’s all a possibility. This is going to be one of our darker periods of post-Olympics promotional nonsense, until one day someone wakes up and says, Ryan Lochte? Really, America, this is the best we can do?
Spot on, me. Spot on.