Birmingham, Ala. 2020 Olympics Host? Why Not?

[TexasTerror]

The question should be why not, but why...? Birmingham, Ala. mayor is interested in bringing the 2020 Games to their city and he's very passionate about the subject...
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In just 47 days, thousands of athletes will converge on Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games and millions around the world will tune in to watch the best in the world compete.

If Mayor Larry Langford has his way, that same spotlight will be on Birmingham in 2020. Langford is putting together a committee to make a bid to bring the Olympic Games to the Magic City.

"Why not Birmingham? -- that's my question," Langford said Friday. "You don't know what you can do till you try it. We've got everything it takes to make it work."

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/06/olympic_games_in_birmingham_ma.html

[UNHWildCats]

If Chicago gets the '16 games the mayor of Birmingham can kiss 2020 goodbye.

[Cleets]

Birmingham is a beautiful city... That would be really cool..!!! xnodx

[NDB]

ah, no.

i was in birmingham last may, not a bad town, but not olympic caliber by any stretch of the imagination.

[jstate83]

B-Ham don't have a chance today or in 2020.xlolx
B-Ham is not an International Hub like the olympic's are looking for.

Atlanta barely made it and when they made their bid, they were on the serious comeup as a city.
And people still didn't think they had what it took to put on the Olympic's.
Atlanta with all it's growth, Fourtune 500 companies, and growing world wide attraction as a destination spot barely made it.

B-Ham is nowhere close to the image the World put's on the Olympics.
You may as well say my hometown of Jackson, Mississippi is going to bid. xlolx

[Dane96]

I am extremely close (almost Brother-Sister...which in Alabama means....) to the Number 2 person at the USOC's Marketing and Event Management Unit. My best friend is the head of Brand Promotions for USA Triathalon...and they are hosting their big race in Birmingham this October (I believe...I forget). These are the people who put the events on and work with all the governing boards (each board is independent). In essence, they help review and work with the Cities looking to host.

When I read this...I almost died so I just sent them the link. Both fo the return IM's to me stated the Mayor needs his head examined.

First and foremost...a city the size of Birmingham would be PERFECT for the Winter Olympics. Summer Olympics, because of the size and scope of the games, require bigger cities; They need massive transportation infrastructure and larger (and more numerous) facilities.

Second, and most important, the weather in Birmingham is a NO-GO. After Atlanta...the IOC was not happy-- they felt they were lied to about the seasonal temps in Atlanta. It was a MAJOR issue with the various Nations. The only reason Athens got the games...was because they were Athens; the weather was again not what the IOC wanted.

Birmingham is conisdered a humid sub-tropical climate with average temps in the 90's in July and August-- higher than that of HOTLANTA according to NOAA. The threat of tropical storms and Hurricanes (and this is something Birmingham could not get around because this info is easily obtainable and factual) also makes it the imperfect choice.

Now, as far as $$$$...no doubt they could succeed because of the huge income seen by the construction, banking, and steel companies.

The Mayor should save any $$$ he wants to spend on a study-- any bid will never make it as the "FINAL US" bid. Without USOC support...any independant bid would be suicide.

[Cobblestone]

As long as the idiot who is currently the Mayor of Boston remains in office, Birmingham won't have to worry about having to compete with Boston for the Olympics.

[FCS Preview]

New York should have gotten the 2012 games...

[Dane96]

Thank Mr. Ferrer, Councilman from the Bronx.

D-bag.

[AZGrizFan]

B-Ham don't have a chance today or in 2020.xlolx
B-Ham is not an International Hub like the olympic's are looking for.

Atlanta barely made it and when they made their bid, they were on the serious comeup as a city.
And people still didn't think they had what it took to put on the Olympic's.
Atlanta with all it's growth, Fourtune 500 companies, and growing world wide attraction as a destination spot barely made it.

B-Ham is nowhere close to the image the World put's on the Olympics.
You may as well say my hometown of Jackson, Mississippi is going to bid. xlolx

Can we get an AMEN from the congragation!

Allow me to be the second to cast a vote for Jackson, Mississippi! xnodx xthumbsupx xbowx

[813Jag]

People don't want to go to Birmingham for SWAC Championship Games, what makes them think people will go to the Olympics.

[Eyes of Old Main]

This is yet another example of Birmingham's envy of Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.

No way can they even come close to making this work. I could go on, but what's the point?

[jessesd]

let me think on that one.......


MMMMMMMM.....NOPE....

their only chance will be 'ONLY" if the other cities bidding to be host are Kabul, Habana and Bagdag, otherwise it's not going to hapen.....ever!!!!

[TwinTownBisonFan]

The Twin Cities are looking in to a bid for 2020... but i suspect Chicago gets 2016