With San Francisco withdrawing from the bid and only two cities bidding to become the U.S. candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) said in a statement Monday “our evaluation process will now continue with two cities, Chicago and Los Angeles. Chicago and Los Angeles are dynamic cities, each with its own distinct vision for hosting the athletes of the world.
“Should we proceed with a U.S. bid for the 2016 Games, choosing between these two high-quality candidates will not be easy”.
USOC Vice President Bob Ctvrtlik said, “while the decision to withdraw was undoubtedly a difficult one, it underscores the commitment made by the San Francisco 2016 bid committee to lend its full support to any U.S. city that may ultimately be selected”.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told the L.A. Times, “I’ve got a lot of respect for Gavin Newsom (San Francisco’s Mayor) and the effort they put together, deserving of a good city.
“Now that there are two cities, my good friend (Chicago Mayor) Richard Daley and I have said that we’re both going to put our best efforts to host these Games. But America wins if an American city is (selected)….We’re going to put our best foot forward”.
Meanwhile a spokeswoman for Chicago 2016 declined to comment on San Francisco’s decision, reports Chicago Business News.
