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Saw today that the 2022 Winter Olympics have been awarded to Beijing. Will be the first time a city has hosted both a Summer Olympics and a Winter Olympics. No word on whether this means China can finally reuse some of the dilapidated buildings (like the famous Birds Nest) from the 2008 games they hosted. Interesting that the final bidding came down to Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan. Countries like Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, and Switzerland all pulled out of the bidding due to voters rebelling against the costs associated with hosting the Olympics. Could be an interesting trend and worrisome for the Olympics - only countries with authoritarian governments with no public voter connections can host these games anymore. The long list of previous host cities with mounting debt and abandoned sports venues that weren't needed once the games were done probably has something to do with that. Also interesting, all snow events for these Winter Games will take place 150 miles away from Beijing because, well, there's no regular snow or mountains in or around Beijing. It would be akin to San Francisco hosting a Winter Games and having all the snow events in Lake Tahoe.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/31/sport/win ... index.html

GannonFan wrote:Saw today that the 2022 Winter Olympics have been awarded to Beijing. Will be the first time a city has hosted both a Summer Olympics and a Winter Olympics. No word on whether this means China can finally reuse some of the dilapidated buildings (like the famous Birds Nest) from the 2008 games they hosted. Interesting that the final bidding came down to Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan. Countries like Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, and Switzerland all pulled out of the bidding due to voters rebelling against the costs associated with hosting the Olympics. Could be an interesting trend and worrisome for the Olympics - only countries with authoritarian governments with no public voter connections can host these games anymore. The long list of previous host cities with mounting debt and abandoned sports venues that weren't needed once the games were done probably has something to do with that. Also interesting, all snow events for these Winter Games will take place 150 miles away from Beijing because, well, there's no regular snow or mountains in or around Beijing. It would be akin to San Francisco hosting a Winter Games and having all the snow events in Lake Tahoe.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/31/sport/win ... index.html

Yeah, it's getting to the point where being awarded the Olympics needs to be a two-fer. Either two in a row or two out of three.

Not sure how they can reuse the venues unless they are completely changed since they type of venues needed are different (except for opening/closing ceremonies maybe)

For winter, you need ice skating rinks, curling arenas (?) and then places to ski (both downhill and xc), snowboard and bobsled/luge. Summer needs a lot more different arenas it seems to me.

GannonFan wrote:final bidding came down to Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan.

I know they have some money from oil, but Kazakhstan? A quick search reveals they have one 30,000 seat outdoor stadium and one 8,700 indoor ice arena (they do have a 15k outdoor ice). They should thank God they weren't awarded the Olympics.

CAA Flagship wrote:Yeah, it's getting to the point where being awarded the Olympics needs to be a two-fer. Either two in a row or two out of three.

But with the debacle that's developing in Brazil... that would be a horrible commitment for the Olympics.

Bozeman would have been a better choice.

GannonFan wrote:Saw today that the 2022 Winter Olympics have been awarded to Beijing. Will be the first time a city has hosted both a Summer Olympics and a Winter Olympics. No word on whether this means China can finally reuse some of the dilapidated buildings (like the famous Birds Nest) from the 2008 games they hosted. Interesting that the final bidding came down to Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan. Countries like Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, and Switzerland all pulled out of the bidding due to voters rebelling against the costs associated with hosting the Olympics. Could be an interesting trend and worrisome for the Olympics - only countries with authoritarian governments with no public voter connections can host these games anymore. The long list of previous host cities with mounting debt and abandoned sports venues that weren't needed once the games were done probably has something to do with that. Also interesting, all snow events for these Winter Games will take place 150 miles away from Beijing because, well, there's no regular snow or mountains in or around Beijing. It would be akin to San Francisco hosting a Winter Games and having all the snow events in Lake Tahoe.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/31/sport/win ... index.html

Boston pulled out due to the same cost reasons for the 2024 summer games.




Didn't Russia have their snow events miles away due to the fact it was like 80* during the winter games there too?

clenz wrote:

GannonFan wrote:Saw today that the 2022 Winter Olympics have been awarded to Beijing. Will be the first time a city has hosted both a Summer Olympics and a Winter Olympics. No word on whether this means China can finally reuse some of the dilapidated buildings (like the famous Birds Nest) from the 2008 games they hosted. Interesting that the final bidding came down to Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan. Countries like Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, and Switzerland all pulled out of the bidding due to voters rebelling against the costs associated with hosting the Olympics. Could be an interesting trend and worrisome for the Olympics - only countries with authoritarian governments with no public voter connections can host these games anymore. The long list of previous host cities with mounting debt and abandoned sports venues that weren't needed once the games were done probably has something to do with that. Also interesting, all snow events for these Winter Games will take place 150 miles away from Beijing because, well, there's no regular snow or mountains in or around Beijing. It would be akin to San Francisco hosting a Winter Games and having all the snow events in Lake Tahoe.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/31/sport/win ... index.html

Boston pulled out due to the same cost reasons for the 2024 summer games.




Didn't Russia have their snow events miles away due to the fact it was like 80* during the winter games there too?

Yeah, Russia had them distant, but only 42 miles away, or about a third of the distance for Beijing's mountain events will be. Granted, Beijing is sure to build a high speed train between Beijing and the mountain venue, but that just adds to the silly price tag. Sochi's budget came out to something like $50B to build what was needed for the Olympics, with a good portion of it not reusable. Average high temperatures between Sochi and Beijing in February are about the same, around 40 deg F. Beijing might be a tad cooler at that time of year.

The Olympics are a bloated mess - and it is mostly the corrupt IOC.

They insist on everything be bright and shiny and new, and the demands for the individual IOC members would make Donald Trump blush in shame.

dbackjon wrote:The Olympics are a bloated mess - and it is mostly the corrupt IOC.

They insist on everything be bright and shiny and new, and the demands for the individual IOC members would make Donald Trump blush in shame.

The only way the IOC looks good is when you compare them with FIFA, possibly the only other international organization that is less corrupt than the IOC is.

GannonFan wrote:

dbackjon wrote:The Olympics are a bloated mess - and it is mostly the corrupt IOC.

They insist on everything be bright and shiny and new, and the demands for the individual IOC members would make Donald Trump blush in shame.

The only way the IOC looks good is when you compare them with FIFA, possibly the only other international organization that is more corrupt than the IOC is.

FTFY

Can't wait to see that Red Chinese ice hockey team.