USOC Panel Evaluates Possibility of New York City's Bid for OlympicsA panel of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has begun evaluating the possibility of New York City as a possible host of the 2012 Olympic Games.The panel, made of ten members, held internal meetings on Monday, a day after arriving and visiting Astoria Pool in Queens, which would be renovated for diving, swimming and synchronised swimming, and Manhattan's Central Park, where the triathlon would be held. Visits to other proposed sites as well as meetings with New York political, cultural, business, labour and sports figures are planned for Wednesday and Thursday. New York organisers, who have the support of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, say they could stage a uniquely compact Games with 75 percent of the Olympic venues within 10 miles (16 km) of the Olympic Village. Athletes, coaches, officials and media would use special ferry and rail trains "that would avoid any impact on New York City streets," organisers said in a statement. New York is one of eight cities competing for the US nomination. The others are Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tampa and Washington, D.C. The US nomination will be announced in autumn 2002. The International Olympic Committee will choose the host city in 2005. |
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