Denver targeting possible 2018 Olympic Winter Games bid

By Published On: August 9th, 2006Comments Off on Denver targeting possible 2018 Olympic Winter Games bid

Denver targeting possible 2018 Olympic Winter Games bid{mosimage}The United States Olympic Committee's announcement last week that Denver had been selected as a “Community Partner City” likely will bring more world-class sporting events to the metro area in the coming years and possibly a bid for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Rob Cohen, the chairman of the board of the Metro Denver Sports Commission, made that announcement in Denver last week and said Tuesday that the city's goal is to host what Cohen termed a “top-tier” sporting event through at least 2011. That's the year when the International Olympic Committee will announce the host of the 2018 Winter Games, and Cohen would like nothing more than for Denver to be in the running.

“I think the city of Denver has had tremendous growth and has infrastructure in place now that could support this type of event,” he said. “If you break it down into components, every major piece of an Olympic Games has been done in Denver with the exception of the luge and bobsled. We've had ski jumping in the state, we've had speedskating in the state. … There is a lot of infrastructure in the state that would play to our advantage.”

Cohen said a Denver bid for the 2018 Winter Games will not be in the city's hands, ultimately, as the Colorado Springs-based United States Olympic Committee would make the final call on which, if any, U.S. city would be on the list of final candidates. Until that decision is made, Cohen said he's determined to grow Denver's reputation as a premier sports city capable of hosting world-class events. Cohen said the city is looking into creating and/or bidding on events that would link Colorado's mountain resorts to the city.

“A specific event that I'm excited about but it's too early to say whether we'd bid on it or do it would be to have a big-air competition in the city as opposed to at a resort,” Cohen said. “Maybe you build the ramp at Coors Field or Invesco [Field at Mile High].

“I think that's an event that could have a lot of appeal to Colorado and to USSA and to [the International Ski Federation] and to the resort communities because they could use it as a launch for the ski season.”

Other events Cohen said the city has targeted include the 2013 World Snowboard Championships and the junior snowboarding world championship events. But Cohen said the MDSC has a comprehensive plan for attracting other events.

“All we're doing right now is slowly going through with every governing body and every international federation and seeing what events are up for bid, and which ones do we think meet our community needs, because some of them do and some of them don't,” he said.

Molly Cuff, the communications director for Colorado Ski Country USA, said the organization fully supports the MDSC's efforts to increase the number of world-class events in the state and a possible 2018 Olympic bid.

“It certainly would be a great benefit for the state,” Cuff said. “It's a long process, and it certainly won't be without its challenges, but I think it's certainly something worth exploring.”

One challenge may be convincing regions and towns in the state that already host world-class events that Denver's push for a Winter Games bid is worthwhile to them. Ski areas such as Vail, Beaver Creek and Aspen already host World Cup events and may be inclined not to participate.

Without naming names, Cohen said the reaction of the state's ski resort operators to Denver's plan has been “mixed.”

“There are some resorts who are sitting there saying, 'Well, we host World Cup races now, we host big-air competitions and what's the value-add here?' ” Cohen said. “Then there are the communities who have reached out to us and said, 'How can we partner, here are some events we're interested in.'

“It's safe to say I don't think anyone's reaction has been unfavorable. There have been people saying what's the value in linking the mountains and the city together. Other people have said these events are great but they don't make economic sense yet. And we aren't going to do events that don't make economic sense.”

Cohen stressed that regardless of whether Denver succeeds in landing the Winter Games, the city's push to attract more world-class events will create a lasting sports legacy.

“Someone shared with us that the biggest mistake cities make is that they bet everything on an Olympic bid. They put all this time and energy into it and at the end of the day if they lose they have nothing to show for it,” Cohen said. “What our goal is is to get good at bidding, hosting, promoting and putting on events. … If we get good and do that and the Olympic Games are part of that, then that's one great thing. But if we never get there, we still have this legacy and history that we have built throughout our state that will benefit everybody.”

Share This Article

About the Author: Pete Rugh