L.A submits bid for 2016 Games to USOC

The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG) today submitted its plan to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) for consideration to be the USOC’s candidate to host the 2016 Olympic Games.The Los Angeles bid emphasizes Southern California’s wealth of existing world-class sporting facilities, its strong travel and tourism infrastructure, its position as one of the great media capitals of the world and its close ties with the entertainment industry, which can be so important in a global event of the size and scope of the Olympic Games.

Los Angeles will combine its long-standing Olympic tradition and know-how, with leading edge facilities, culture, climate and appeal to the broadest possible audience.

“We offer the United States Olympic Committee a very compelling bid submission for Los Angeles to host the 2016 Olympic Games,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Los Angeles is where the whole world comes together, and if chosen, we will bring all that is California to the athletes, to the Olympic Movement, and to the world.”

Los Angeles’ bid includes the use of historic Olympic venues like the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, new state-of-art facilities like the Home Depot Center and the Staples Center arena which did not exist at the time of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The SCCOG plan also includes the combined resources of UCLA, which will serve as the Olympic Village for the athletes, and USC, which will serve as the Media/Family Village.

“Because we can stage the Games with almost no construction of permanent facilities, we can turn our attention to building human spirit, human achievement and joy — the fundamental Olympic values,” said Barry Sanders, chairman of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games.

One of the many ways that the Los Angeles bid will break new ground in this area is in creating a state-wide Olympic cultural program, ‘Peak Performance.’

“It will be unprecedented in its size and scope making the connection between brilliance in athletic performance and brilliance in every intellectual and artistic pursuit for which this state is known, from scholarly debate to great food and wine,” Sanders said.

Los Angeles is one of just two U.S. cities remaining under consideration to be the (USOC) candidate to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2016 games. The USOC has said that it will make a final decision on April 14, 2007 and fully intends to nominate the winning city to the IOC for the international competition.

“Los Angeles provides a higher stage on which the athletes can perform, and we will employ our star power to put a spotlight on their achievements,” said Sanders. “We will capture the imagination of the whole world for the Games and the athletes.

Los Angeles has been the host of two of the most successful Olympic Games in the history of the movement, in 1932 and in 1984. The city’s creative prowess and financial strength provide critical underpinning on which all else is built.

“In bidding, we make these commitments: we will use our ample resources, including our outstanding ingenuity, creativity, high technology, energy, climate, facilities, stable finances and personal determination in services to the Olympic movement and the athletes,” said Sanders.