Well, it looks like the Olympics coming to New York has a slightly better chance of happening. In a December meeting with European sporting officials, Mayor Bloomberg apparently knocked their socks off. In his estimates NYC 2012 is in a tie with Paris. The NY Times writes:
By the end, even people from cities competing for the Olympic bid were describing him as charismatic and charming.
Charismatic and charming?!? We never knew, Mr. Mayor. Then again, he has been reaching spreading his word throughout the city as well. An Australian member of the International Olympic Committee said, "He was a very powerful figure in the presentation. But he is also intelligent and approachable and he understands the Olympics. He sees the Olympic Games as a great unifying event for New York and its future." After reading comments from some of our readers, Gothamist wonders how unifying the Olympics will be. Then again, Bloomberg is talking about how the actual games would be unifying, not the process leading up to a potential winning bid.
A January article in The Independent says that NYC 2012 is quietly hoping that US support to victims of the tsunami will help the bid. The column's author, Alan Hubbard, also said "New York has almost won me over." With reports saying Moscow's bid has no chance, and some reports saying London is out, there are only three cities left. Paris, considered a favorite by most, New York, and Madrid.
Starting Thursday, the Evaluation Committee will visit the cities competing, with a visit to New York planned for February 21-14. Naturally, there's that whole stadium issue looming in the background of NYC's bid.
