New York Opens Gates for IOC

The city, digging out from a snowstorm, rolled out a warm welcome Monday for the 13 delegates charged with helping select a host city for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

“Nice to see you. Welcome,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg told the International Olympic Committee evaluation commission delegates during a meet-and-greet ceremony at the Plaza Hotel. He later joked that the blanket of snow positioned the city to make a bid for the Winter Games too.

Bloomberg, accompanied by U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Peter Ueberroth, shook hands with the delegates in a conference room that bore an NYC2012 logo on the floor. Each delegate carried a thick “2012” binder.

They arrived at the Plaza on Sunday night, greeted by flag-waving supporters of New York’s bid to play host to the 2012 Games.

The evaluation commission is in town for a final round of scrutiny, evaluating the five cities still in the running for the Olympics. The group already toured Madrid and London, with Moscow and Paris left to visit. The IOC will weigh the evaluators’ findings and announce its decision July 6.

Officials from New York’s Olympic bid committee took over the second floor of the storied hotel on Monday, where chandeliers hung amid signs highlighting the city’s historic role as a host to people of all nations. “People will speak your language. ... Families will welcome families,” the messages said.

The committee showed the delegates a video featuring New Yorkers from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, according to Jay Kriegel, executive director of NYC2012.

“They’re looking at your capability to host the Games, and your ability to pull off a great Games,” Kriegel said. “We are confident we can do that.”

He noted it has been more than a decade since the idea of New York’s playing host to the Olympics was conceived.

“We’re delighted this day has come,” he said.

Across the street in Central Park, which had received at least five inches of snow overnight, stood the bright orange “Gates” exhibit by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

The city is already swathed in Olympic logos and signs promoting its bid. Billboards, bus shelters and street poles are decorated, along with subway cars, buses and taxis.

Today, former Sen. Bill Bradley, a 1964 basketball gold medalist, will address the IOC group. Committee members also were scheduled to visit a variety of proposed venues for the Games, but they will not speak publicly about New York’s bid until the visit is completed Thursday.