San Francisco’s elation over being short-listed Tuesday for the USOC 2012 candidacy dimmed Wednesday when Vancouver, another North American city, was on the short list for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Because of the International Olympic Committee’s desire to rotate the Games among continents, it seems unlikely they would return to North America in 2012 if Vancouver were the 2010 host city.
And if that happens, San Francisco bid officials said they would continue their pursuit for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Bob Stiles, bid director for the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee said “there’s no question about that – the whole group is in it for the long haul. We want to be the U.S. candidate city. We want to host the Olympic Games. We’re ready to stay in it”.
Stiles said George Hirthler, a consultant to the Bay Area group, came up with an idea to promote a 2010-2012 West Coast Olympic parlay on the basis that marketing potential and proximity might pique the IOC’s interest.
“We think there’s a good opportunity to support, if Vancouver were selected, a strong alignment for the Olympic Coast concept. That would be appealing from a marketing and logistical standpoint to the IOC, by having everything on the West Coast when they make their visits”.
Anne Cribbs, president and CEO of the Bay Area group said, “we can’t be too certain that if Vancouver gets it, then we’re out. There’s a number of times when Europe hosted it back to back. It doesn’t make sense not to hold us to the same standard as Europe”.
The Winter and Summer Olympics were held in Europe in the same year seven times.
