‘97 Festival Considered ‘Not Likely’ by Officials

The U.S. Olympic Committee met Saturday to decide the fate of the 1997 U.S. Olympic Festival and came up with a decision.

Well, sort of.

Officials said a Festival was “not likely” in 1997, but did not rule out the possibility of having one.

The Festival had been moved to odd-numbered years because the Winter and Summer Olympics are now on alternating even years. But the size and the cost of the Festival have made it difficult to stage, so the switch was convenient.

Denver and other cities have typically been awarded their bids four years in advance to prepare for the event, but the 1997 bid still has not been granted. Richmond, Va., and Seattle have bids for the 1997 Festival while Dallas and Phoenix have bids for 1999.

“The executive committee reached a conclusion that out of fairness to the cities that have shown a very keen interest in the 1997 Festival, that with the dwindling preparation time remaining, we are not likely to stage the 1997 U.S. Olympic Festival,” said Dr. LeRoy Walker, USOC President.

Jack McDonald, executive director of the 1995 Festival, even discussed the Festival becoming an international event similar to the Pan-Am games. But the USOC did not discuss it.