Olympics Haven’t Heard The Last From L.A.

Our Los Angeles 2012 Bid Committee is deeply disappointed that our bid for the 2012 Olympic Games did not advance to the final round of the domestic competition.

The Los Angeles bid emphasized our strengths: existing world-class venues and villages at USC and UCLA, superior sports management experience and private financing. In its review, the U.S. Olympic Committee evaluation team obviously preferred construction of at least a newly built single village for 15,000 people, a more extensive rail and subway (not bus) system and public financial guarantees.

At its core, our bid was based on the belief that public finances should be spent on public priorities such as fire, police, roads and schools and not on the Olympic Games. Los Angeles has proven twice that private financing of the Games works when construction is kept to a minimum.

Unfortunately, our bid for the 2012 Games is over. Our area will host--and privately finance--the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships (our Olympic trials), the 2003 World Gymnastics Championships and the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. We will now pursue more opportunities for 2005 and beyond. And we will bid for the Olympics again as soon as we are eligible. Los Angeles deserves it.

John Argue (Chairman), David Simon (President) and Rich Perelman (Technical Director)

Los Angeles 2012 Bid Committee