Slog
News & ArtsFriday, August 3, 2012
City / Sports Sorry, Redditors, Rumors of 2028 Seattle Olympics Look Bogus
Posted by Unpaid Intern on Fri, Aug 3, 2012 at 1:18 PM
Posted by news intern Joseph Staten
The Seattle Reddit page has been in a tizzy the last couple of days about the Olympics coming to town. The header states it as fact: "Seattle and Vancouver BC are in a joint bid to co-host the 2028 Summer Olympics." Taking it all very seriously, one person points out that "we have bad enough traffic in Seattle as it is" while another rejoices, "I think it would be exciting to have such an event here!" Why the serious debate? The thread cites the Summer Olympics 2028 Wikipedia entry, which has a sub-section describing this as a serious possibility:
A joint bid by Vancouver and Seattle to host the 2028 Summer Olympics is being explored. It would be the first time that a city will have hosted both a Summer and a Winter Games as Vancouver hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics....
As evidence, the Wikipedia page cites a 2006 Vancouver Sun article describing a cooperative exploration by Vancouver and Seattle around bringing a "global mega-event" to the region, including the 2028 Olympics as one possibility. The Reddit thread author then interpreted this exploration as "a joint bid" for the Olympics, and everyone went crazy. The thread has more than 200 comments so far, with equal parts excitement and dismay.
Unfortunately (or fortunately?)—it looks like bullshit.
Aaron Pickus, a spokesman for Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, says, "We haven't heard anything." He even, graciously, checked to confirm with the city's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs on rumors of a 2018 World Cup and a 2020 World's Fair. Those aren't true either. So... no Olympics coming in 2028.
Sorry, Reddit rumor mill.
1
No, fuck you, Unpaid Intern Joseph Whatever. The Olympics are going to happen here in 2028 whether the IOC says so or not.
3
But seriously, can you imagine the logistical nightmare of inviting the international community to come and meander back and forth across our border for two weeks?
5
Yeah its funny to see how residents want a world class city, but dont want to do world class things like host the Olympics. If it might cause grid lock traffic, then its not worth doing at all.
6
by 2028, seacouver will likely be the only remaining metropolis with a tolerable climate - i.e. not a blast furnace.
7
I wish Seattle would try to host the Olympics. I think it would be freaking brilliant!!!
I'd rent my couch out for $500 a night....AND GET IT!!!
I'd rent my couch out for $500 a night....AND GET IT!!!
8
There's no way the Summer Olympics could ever be held in Seattle. Seattle has no effective mass transit or infrastructure.
9
Screw you haters. We'll have our own damn olympics, whether they want to or not. And people can take our flying lightrail to the games.
11
Might want to contact Canada or Washington tourism reps to confirm there might be interest in this, Seattle is trying to host The Super Bowl in the next 5-10 years and the Mayors PR person didnt mention that at all, so I assume he doesn't know much about this.
12
I really want to point out that NOCs won't even be invited to begin the bidding process for 2028 until 2017 at the earliest, but I'm worried that might bring too much fact to the table.
13
We had the Goodwill games. It was fun. We got a nifty aquatics center out of it. Not going to happen again, on a larger scale, until the region seriously grows up. (transit)
The notion of a dual country Olympics is absurd. That should have been the first sign that the story was bullshit.
The notion of a dual country Olympics is absurd. That should have been the first sign that the story was bullshit.
16
@15I'm pretty sure they're never gonna hold a Super Bowl in a northern climate ever again.
Actually the NFL has re-considered this rule, mostly because a few superbowls hosted in southern cities, didnt turn out so well. You had massive downpour in Jacksonville and it snowed days before the superbowl in Arlington. Because of this, the NFL stopped caring about it.
2014 is going to have Metlife Stadium (Jets/Giants) host the super bowl and thats one big ass northern open air stadium, no retractable roof.
Since Clink Field can add 5,000 more seats to bump the capacity to 72,000 seats, Seattle may very well be able to host in 5-10 years. Exhibition center can easily host pre-game events. Link Light Rail can whisk people back to Sea-Tac, tho the mega rich will probably charter a private jet from Boeing Field.
Actually the NFL has re-considered this rule, mostly because a few superbowls hosted in southern cities, didnt turn out so well. You had massive downpour in Jacksonville and it snowed days before the superbowl in Arlington. Because of this, the NFL stopped caring about it.
2014 is going to have Metlife Stadium (Jets/Giants) host the super bowl and thats one big ass northern open air stadium, no retractable roof.
Since Clink Field can add 5,000 more seats to bump the capacity to 72,000 seats, Seattle may very well be able to host in 5-10 years. Exhibition center can easily host pre-game events. Link Light Rail can whisk people back to Sea-Tac, tho the mega rich will probably charter a private jet from Boeing Field.
18
No Olympics, please. They end up overpaying for a bunch of stuff that's never used again. We're already dealing with the waterfront tunnel and the 520 bridge, plus they're halfway through the light rail system and now they want a hockey/basketball arena. Let's give it a rest, people.
20
@14,
World Cup is a nationally hosted event. The U.S. had it in 94 (if memory serves, maybe it was '98) and games were being played in stadiums across the country. If we were to get another one (U.S. that is) then surely Seattle would host some games, though I think we're considered a longshot, at best.
@ 18,
I'm a sports fan and enjoy watching the olympics, but agree the notion of building a bunch of costly and centrally located infrastructure for use on a one-time basis is ridiculous. Don't know why they don't just rotate between cities that have hosted in the recent past, and so already have the facilities in place.
World Cup is a nationally hosted event. The U.S. had it in 94 (if memory serves, maybe it was '98) and games were being played in stadiums across the country. If we were to get another one (U.S. that is) then surely Seattle would host some games, though I think we're considered a longshot, at best.
@ 18,
I'm a sports fan and enjoy watching the olympics, but agree the notion of building a bunch of costly and centrally located infrastructure for use on a one-time basis is ridiculous. Don't know why they don't just rotate between cities that have hosted in the recent past, and so already have the facilities in place.
22
@21
No, I mean Century Link Field. Most people call it The Clink.
http://seahawks.sportspressnw.com/2012/0…
No, I mean Century Link Field. Most people call it The Clink.
http://seahawks.sportspressnw.com/2012/0…
23
#22
No, I think you mean Tuba Man Memorial Stadium. Most people called it Qwest Field until it was renamed.
No, I think you mean Tuba Man Memorial Stadium. Most people called it Qwest Field until it was renamed.
24
@21 - Thank you for beating me to it.
@22 - You must have missed the Legally Binding SLOG Poll on the matter. The name of the stadium is Tuba Man Memorial Stadium. And even if it were called Century Link Field, people would still sound like assholes calling it The Clink.
@22 - You must have missed the Legally Binding SLOG Poll on the matter. The name of the stadium is Tuba Man Memorial Stadium. And even if it were called Century Link Field, people would still sound like assholes calling it The Clink.
25
OK so the rumour is unfounded and ridiculous but let's pause to consider the implications of having the Games split between Canada and (the notoriously border-protection-obsessed land of) America. Can you imagine the bureaucratic nightmare that would come from dealing with all those cross-border workers? London has some 70,000 paid workers, most of whom floated between venues in the lead-up to the Games. Then the organising committee would have to dual-visa the athletes, coaches, media and support people. Border lines would be outrageous; logistics would be a nightmare; federal, state, provincial, and dozens of local governments (plus the US and Canadian National Olympic Committees) would all bicker incessantly over taxes and funding and prestige events. Where would you hold the opening ceremony? Vancouver? Seattle? Bellingham? Out on the water somewhere? In an immense zeppelin that doubles as the athletics stadium and floats over Peach Arch Crossing? Egads.
26
I'd rather have the world cup. Too bad the US lost out on bidding to Qatar.
Maybe the regional mega-event is the cessession of Washington from the US and BC from Canada and subsequent creation of Cascadia? That would give is some cred for sure.
Maybe the regional mega-event is the cessession of Washington from the US and BC from Canada and subsequent creation of Cascadia? That would give is some cred for sure.
27
@24 "And even if it were called Century Link Field, people would still sound like assholes calling it The Clink."
People who have no interest in the Seahawks or Sounders, taking a poll to rename it something else, are technically the assholes. Even sports casters call it The Clink. Im sure some of the local sports sites can conduct a similar poll, re-naming Seattle's best Gay night clubs to something else, which im sure will offend people here.
People who have no interest in the Seahawks or Sounders, taking a poll to rename it something else, are technically the assholes. Even sports casters call it The Clink. Im sure some of the local sports sites can conduct a similar poll, re-naming Seattle's best Gay night clubs to something else, which im sure will offend people here.
28
I'd rather move than deal with the militarization and nationalism that the olympics would bring. Terrible waste of time and it would just make me lose my freedoms for a bunch of worthless corporations that will take our money and expect us to be happy with more tax revenue. Fuck that shit.
29
For people who say seattle doesnt have transit it will have alot of light rail by 2020 so it will by 2028
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