It’s down to the wire for the USOC to announce it’s short list for the 2012 Summer Olympic bid and Houston 2012 is getting a little help in its bid to be the U.S. candidate.
The Houston Chronicle reports that Lamine Diack, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), sent a letter this week to former Houston City Councilman John Kelley endorsing the conversion of the Reliant Astrodome into the world’s first enclosed, full-scale track venue. Kelley is founder of the Houston 2012 Foundation.
In the letter Diack wrote, “IAAF applauds the Houston, Texas (USA) concept of a 400-(meter) controlled temperature stadium, meeting all IAAF specifications in track and field. The IAAF endorses and blesses the concept for the future of our sport worldwide”.
Diack’s letter was forwarded to the USOC Tuesday on the final day to submit evidence or information in support of Houston’s 2012 bid.
Kelley said, “we are offering the USOC a legacy for track and field – a controlled temperature stadium that can host events at any time. Not only would they be getting this for the Olympic Games, but it would practically guarantee the world track and field championships for the U.S. for the first time.
“People all over the world are talking now about Houston and about this revolutionary concept and how someday there could be one of these enclosed stadiums on every continent”, said Kelley.
