  Jeffery47 Member Username: Jeffery47 Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2006 |
I saw on Wikipedia that Detroit has lost the most times for the Summer Games, and was runner up in 1964 and 1968. Is this true? I can't recall ever hearing anything about this, or even someone in the press mentioning it. | ||
Deandub11 Member Username: Deandub11 Post Number: 96 Registered: 05-2006 |
Its true...bunch of threads on this and actually if you can find it within one of the threads a really cool video of mayor cavanaugh? presenting a promotional video regarding the bid for 68 | ||
Lt_tom Member Username: Lt_tom Post Number: 179 Registered: 06-2004 |
Yes this is true. The closest Detroit got to hosting was for the 1968 games, where Detroit lost to Mexico City 30 votes to 14. The vote was held in 1963. It should also be pointed out that both times when Detroit and Chicago were head to head for an Olympic bid, Detroit received more votes. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1647 Registered: 04-2005 |
1964 bid  there is also a video seach www.archive.org for Detroit | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2135 Registered: 10-2003 |
Here are links to a couple of past Forum threads on this subject: Detroit's Bid for 2020 Summer Olympics https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/76017/80571.html Next Step...Summer Olympics https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/62684/65932.html | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 2918 Registered: 10-2004 |
The last person left in Detroit would have turned off the lights by 2020. So, should Detroit keep a sole crypt-keeper on its payroll for when the 2020 Games possibly come this way? | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 765 Registered: 09-2005 |
Rumours of Detroit's eventual demise have been greatly exaggerated. | ||
Roomseller Member Username: Roomseller Post Number: 26 Registered: 03-2007 |
if Seoul can host the summer games, Detroit can. what a polluted congested mess Seoul...or is that a pre-requisite? Atlanta isn't all it's cracked up to be. What a polluted congested mess that place is. Traffic is horrible. Of course people keep moving there but I personally can't see the attraction. i guess 9 bucks an hour is better in the south,,,Detroit could pull it off, I'm on that Bandwagon! | ||
Schulzte1 Member Username: Schulzte1 Post Number: 51 Registered: 01-2007 |
How bizarre would it have been if Detroit had been chosen to host the '68 games, then had to host them in the shadow of all the riots and racial tension going on at the time. That might have been a disaster. Detroit currently has a large amount of venues for the summer games, probably as many as any other American city if you think about it. You have Ford Field, Comerica Park, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Arena, The Palace of Auburn Hills, Crisler Arena, Yost Ice Arena, The Convo Center in Ypsi. Just about any indoor event would have a pretty good venue. But we don't have an existing track and field stadium or a need for one, and alas, no mass transit. That ends the discussion right there. | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 767 Registered: 09-2005 |
Not to repeat what may have been discussed in one of the previous threads, but didn't Atlanta have to invest significantly in transit when it won the 1996 summer games? Poor mass transit may not kill a bid if the city promises to spend big bucks to upgrade its system. | ||
Lvnthed Member Username: Lvnthed Post Number: 71 Registered: 03-2007 |
Schulzte1, What about Wayne State's Football Field. That could work, and 12yrs for transit is Not out of the question. | ||
Schulzte1 Member Username: Schulzte1 Post Number: 52 Registered: 01-2007 |
Good luck convincing all the Lyards in state government to invest in massive public transit upgrades over the next 12 years. Just about every city that has hosted the Olympics recently (Atlanta, Sydney, and Athens) have made hundreds of millions/billions of dollars of public transit investment pre-Olympics, and that just isn't in the cards for Detroit in the forseeable future. And building a world class track and field venue is much different than what exists, an old 20,000 seat venue which isn't really utilized anyway. I think Detroit and this state really needs to turn the economy around before even thinking about the huge investment required for the Olympics. Our last two US Olympic Sites (L.A. and Atlanta) were in much better economic shape, and that needs to come first in Detroit, not to be a naysayer and that it could never happen like Lyard. We are better served right now by going after high profile events with less investment such as Super Bowls, NCAA Tournaments, conventions, etc., which the city has been surprisingly successful at recently. | ||
Emu_steve Member Username: Emu_steve Post Number: 194 Registered: 11-2006 |
I like this idea. EMU's Rynearson Stadium has a track inside a nice 30K stadium. Some aquatic events could be held on the Huron River in Ann Arbor. WSU's stadium also has a track inside their small stadium which could easily be expanded for I-AA or I-A FB or for an Olympics. By 2020 WSU would most likely have a nice new basketball arena which could be used for events which don't require something the size of the Palace. Detroit and SE Michigan have a LOT to offer for the Olympics 13 years down the road. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 549 Registered: 04-2006 |
Detroit could use a big shot in the arm public relations wise. The Olympics is just the type of venue to do it. It did wonders for Atlanta... | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 2246 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: I thought the Super Bowl was supposed to do that??? Last I heard, companies were hesitant to bring jobs to Atlanta because the traffic sucks so bad. What do the Olympics have to do with anything? | ||
Roomseller Member Username: Roomseller Post Number: 27 Registered: 03-2007 |
"...Atlanta traffic sucks so bad..." is putting it kindly. I visit Atlanta/Marrietta at least once a year. Sprawl in GA is out of control. Soon the entire state will be a suburb of Atlanta. The weather is nice, obviously you can live on $9 an hour cuz that's what most of the new jobs pay there. Other than that, I don't see the attraction. EMU Steve got it right, no doubt the venues are there, maybe some cosmetic work or modernizing. Even Windsor might want to get in on the act. Every Olympics needs the type of "entertainment" that can be found in Windsor and not Detroit... What's wrong with dreaming a little?? | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 770 Registered: 09-2005 |
The benefits of including Windsor have been discussed in the earlier threads. These benefits include: - money from the governments of Ontario and Canada (it should be noted that Ontario has never hosted an Olympic Games, although Windsor co-hosting or partnering for a Games would tick off a few people in Toronto)  - potential for certain venues to be built in Windsor (i.e. a temporary Olympic stadium where the seating can be dramatically reduced after the games -- that is if Detroit to stomach having the opening and closing ceremonies in Windsor) - improved passenger transit links from Windsor to Detroit (permanent and temporary) - portions of the Olympic village being built in Windsor - significant savings to the people of Detroit and Michigan (versus not having Windsor on board). | ||
Roomseller Member Username: Roomseller Post Number: 29 Registered: 03-2007 |
upin you said it so much better than i could. Thank you | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 99 Registered: 05-2006 |
I look at it this way... If you would have told me two years ago that someone was going to buy the Book Caddy and revamp it, I would have said, "yeah, and we'll get the Olympics in 2020." Anything is possible in the CofD. | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 819 Registered: 01-2006 |
Mallory, please check the "Connect" section of this forum. I've been paging you... | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 4884 Registered: 11-2004 |
Who says this would even be JUST about Detroit? Why not include Windsor in on this mix and truly make it an international bid? | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 455 Registered: 07-2006 |
quote: And it did. But just as a single shot, or even a series of shots, won't cure a major disease, neither would the Super Bowl cure Detroit. Detroit did get a lot of good press and it put a sense of urgency into projects that we otherwise might still be waiting to see happen. Unfortunately you seem to be one of those misguided souls that thought a football game could cure all Detroit's ills, and became bitter about it when reality set in. I can't even imagine how you would act if you actually lived in the area. The problems facing Detroit will take more than just a Super Bowl, All-Star game, World series, or Final Four to fix. Even the Olympics won't do it. But certainly does help, particularly if the 'shot in the arm' from the Olympics involves a real transit system. Whereas Atlanta spent a lot of money building a stadium, hopefully we wouldn't have to do that, and we could use the money saved there for real improvements. As for Windsor, it's a great idea, but a security and logistical nightmare. With all traffic between venues being bottlenecked into 2, *maybe* 3 different crossings, taking into consideration the greatly increased security issues already facing the Olympics, and you've got one hell of a mess on your hands. Taking that into consideration, it just won't happen. | ||
Schulzte1 Member Username: Schulzte1 Post Number: 55 Registered: 01-2007 |
An Olympic bid for the city of Detroit would cost at least $2 billion dollars. It would cost $1-2 billion to build anything resembling a workable mass transit system that connects metro airport, Ann Arbor, Downtown Detroit, and the Woodward corridor. It would also cost $300 million to build an 80,000 seat track and field stadium, even if it was temporary (see Chicago's 2016 bid). And then I don't know what you would do with said stadium, perhaps downsize it for a new MLS team. The whole Windsor idea won't work, that is simply too much of a security and logistical nightmare. Windsor isn't really a big enough city to make a significant economic/venue contribution. I really can't think of one proper existing venue in the Windsor area. I just don't think the Olympics are all they are cracked up to be as far as benefitting the host city. Polls in NYC have shown that the average resident doesn't want the Olympics due to the huge expense and gridlock caused. Think about the debt incurred by Montreal and Athens (billions!). Detroit and the state of Michigan can't even think of incurring such a debt. Los Angeles hosted in '84 only because no other city in the world bid for those games, believe it or not. Those games were profitable, but they did not have any pressure from any other city to build new venues or a transportation system. They used nearly all existing venues, including their Olympic Stadium. Ask yourself this as well; has the economies and international profile of Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Calgary or Montreal drastically improved due to hosting the Olympics? Maybe marginally, but not drastically. The only North American city whose image really changed due to the Olympics is Lake Placid, NY. I don't know how such a tiny town pulled it off, but that town really did get on the map in 1980 | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 551 Registered: 04-2006 |
"I thought the Super Bowl was supposed to do that???" Well, it did. But the Olympics are like... the Super Bowl of sporting events. Detroit in the spotlights for 4 weeks straight is priceless PR. Not only just that but there would be so much attention thrown towards the region in teh years leading up to it. It would be silly not to try by all means to attract the event to the region. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 552 Registered: 04-2006 |
"Ask yourself this as well; has the economies and international profile of Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Calgary or Montreal drastically improved due to hosting the Olympics?" YES! | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 2249 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Citation? | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 773 Registered: 09-2005 |
Scott, if the games were in Detroit (big assumption, I know), Windsor will play a major role just as Windsor played a significant role in the Superbowl. Windsor can deliver significant hotel room volume that is both affordable and close to downtown Detroit better than any Detroit suburb. That being said, were the games to be held in Detroit, there would be a significant role for Windsor to play. As for transportation issues? Well, temporary ferry service (just like the good old days) would be implemented to bring people across the border (I mean they will have 13 years to figure that one out!) | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 774 Registered: 09-2005 |
"The whole Windsor idea won't work, that is simply too much of a security and logistical nightmare. Windsor isn't really a big enough city to make a significant economic/venue contribution. I really can't think of one proper existing venue in the Windsor area." Ummm, with respect to security and logistical nightmare what about the Superbowl??? Windsor is not a huge city, but Ontario has one of the largest economies in North America. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 549 Registered: 11-2005 |
What about Wayne State's Football Field. That could work, and 12yrs for transit is Not out of the question. Two words: Tiger Stadium. Not that Detroit would ever win the games, of course. | ||
Oldredfordette Member Username: Oldredfordette Post Number: 1387 Registered: 02-2004 |
My father (who was good friends with Jerry Cavanaugh) used to say if we had gotten the Olympics, there would have been no riots. He thought there would have been a great deal of work for everybody, prosperity being a great way to calm people down. Weirder things have happened in Detroit. We pulled off the Stupid Bowl, shutting up all the naysayers (myself among them). | ||
Jonnyfive Member Username: Jonnyfive Post Number: 21 Registered: 03-2007 |
"Two-Words: Tiger Stadium" That would involve keeping Tiger Stadium standing for thirteen more years so it could host a three week event... I don't think that would work. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 456 Registered: 07-2006 |
Upinottawa - When it comes to hotel rooms, certainly windsor will be part of the equation, although it's still a security and logistical nightmare. I would expect a better transit system throughout Metro Detroit is more likely to happen than a streamlined customs process, making hotels in the suburbs a more attractive option than Windsor. It's difficult to compare the Super Bowl (one game, one day, with a few relatively minor events leading up to it, with mostly American visitors) to the Olympics (many events, spread over two weeks, with visitors from all over the world.) My main point was, however, as far as venues, expecting visitors to cross an international border on heightened security alert to go see different events is completely unrealistic. If, for some reason, it does happen, prepare for endless complaints about waits at the border. Granted, this is given the situation today. 13 years from now, we may have 2 new bridges, more efficient security measures, or some other system to permit easy international travel, even if it's only a temporary solution for the games. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 457 Registered: 07-2006 |
Oldredfordette - I'd love to think that too, and he may well have been right. Detroit would be a far different place today if we had the Olympics instead of the riots. However, the Olympics didn't stop anything in Mexico City. And I'm not sure it really would have stopped anything here either. | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 775 Registered: 09-2005 |
Scott, You certainly raise valid concerns. One of the keys to avoiding long line ups at the border is to increase capacity, i.e. set up several temporary ferry terminals with customs offices on both sides of the river and bring in more officers for the two week period. Low risk travellers, especially athletes, coaches and members of country delegations could be required to enroll in a NEXUS-like program that would allow automated entry (subject to search, of course) at those customs offices. Solutions can be found and will be found (if necessary). Also, true international travellers (i.e. non-American or Canadian) may actually expect such line-ups (well, Europeans would think any line-up is crazy). | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 554 Registered: 04-2006 |
"The state's image also benefited from the constant publicity available to an estimated 70 percent of the world's population. The chamber cites a pair of surveys done before and after the games in which corporate executives were asked about their impression of Atlanta. The favorable responses doubled after the event, Williams said. "I can remember going to places before the games, and when I said, 'Atlanta,' they thought we were in New Jersey and had casinos," he said." http://www.gwcc.com/authority/ clippings/documents/7-9-06olym picimpact.pdf I only read the Intro to this due to lack of time but: http://frp.aysps.gsu.edu/frp/f rpreports/report_53/Rpt53-upte xt.pdf "A surging population is the most obvious marker of Atlanta's post-Olympic transformation. If you drive up Peachtree Street, the city's main artery, just north of the annual meeting's hotels you will pass an antiquated electronic marquee that tracks metro Atlanta's population. In the early 1970s it hovered close to the two million mark. By the 1996 Games the metro population had reached three million, and today the marquee flashes 4,458,253. Winning the Olympic bid marked a turning point that put Atlanta on the world's radar screen." http://www.historians.org/Pers pectives/issues/2006/0611/0611 ann6.cfm |
