Opinion: Time to sell the Olympic idea to the people of Tahoe-Reno
Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the Sept. 29, 2011, Reno Gazette-Journal.
The return of the Winter Olympics to the Reno-Tahoe area took another step forward last week when officials of the Reno Tahoe Winter Games Coalition confirmed to the U.S. Olympic Committee their interest in bidding for the 2022 games.
That’s just one step in a lengthy process that won’t culminate until the International Olympic Committee chooses a winner in 2015. Among the other nations that have said they’re interested in hosting the 2022 games are Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and Sweden. And Reno-Tahoe might first have to compete with Denver for the U.S. bid.
It’s entirely possible that the U.S. won’t even bid. The USOC and IOC continue to negotiate over the sharing of TV broadcast revenue. Unless that disagreement is resolved, there will be no bid.
Yet, Friday’s announcement is an important milestone that tells the nation — and this community — that Reno-Tahoe is serious about bringing the games back to the area, which last played host to the world’s winter Olympians in 1960.
Before the coalition can sell the Reno-Tahoe games to the USOC and then the IOC, however, it’s critical that it sell the games to those who live here and will play a major role in ensuring that the event is a success.
How are they going to get permission to widen the roads to get people to Tahoe ski resorts? Traffic to Squaw, Northstar, Alpine Meadowes and Heavenly are already disasters on weekends. Perhaps all the ski resorts will shut down access for the general public and season pass holders these two weeks to accomodate the Olympics. I think not.
Is the organizing committee deaf, dumb and blind? Is there a plan to get everyone from Reno to Tahoe on hot air baloons?
If they want my support they need to change the name. Reno is a desert! Winter Olympics in the desert? Call it Lake Tahoe Olympics and generate world wide support. Call it Reno anything and make people sick.
Got a better chance of bringing the Oscars here,yea right,keep dreaming people.