According to New York’s mini bid book, the city could gain $12 billion if it wins the bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, and leave a lasting legacy of athletic fields, a stadium and waterfront development.
At the presentation ceremony Friday New York’s Deputy Mayor Daniel L. Doctoroff said that work on three major elements of the plan – the Olympic Stadium on the west side of Manhattan, the expansion of the convention centre and the extension of the No. 7 subway line, would begin before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) makes its selection in July 2005 in Singapore.
The New York Times reports Doctoroff rejected suggestions that New York’s bid might not do well because of the current unpopularity of the United States
He said, “they’re not voting on America. They’re voting on New York”. He added the city was often viewed as a bridge to the rest of the United States.
And if New York hosts the 2012 Games the costs would be covered by ticket sales, media rights, licensing and sponsorship deals – not the taxpayers.
The city’s response to the questionnaire sent to the IOC included letters from President George Bush, Governor George Pataki, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and USOC acting President Martin, all expressing their support for the bid.
New York’s bid has also received the backing from every segment of the city including business, sports, labour, nationality communities and the general public.
According to New York’s Olympic X Plan athletes will be accommodated at the centre of the Games in a single Olympic Village in the heart of the city ensuring that all Olympic participants have swift and secure access to Olympic venues. The privately funded Olympic Village will house athletes in “modern, high-quality apartments with exceptional amenities and will be converted into private houses after the Games”.
The Olympic X Plan positions almost all competition venues along two intersecting transportation routes – one water, one rail – that intersect at the Olympic Village so that athletes will have “fast, reliable, and secure transportation”.
Every venue will be located at or near an existing subway stop so that spectators will be able to reach Olympic events quickly and conveniently.
After the Games the Olympic Stadium will become home to the New York Jets.
There is already an international competition underway for the selection of the Olympic Village design in May of 2004.
Two degraded lakes will be transformed into a 140-acre lake for the rowing competition, and “the Olympic Stadium and Olympic Village will set international standards for sustainable design, building on New York’s commitment to green construction”.
Security for New York 2012 will be through the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) 37,000 member force. The NYPD, the Secret Service and the FBI will create an Olympic security force with a single command structure under the NYPD.
