Anchorage to Explore Possible Winter Olympics Bid

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They say Olympic dreams die hard. Such is the case with Anchorage's hopes for hosting the Winter Games.Mayor Dan Sullivan announced this week that he is looking for volunteers, both young and old, to form an exploratory committee to look into a possible bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Communities across the state would help host the games, Sullivan said.

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph does Sullivan pay no attention whatsoever to the other cities which have hosted the games and how they are always left with a huge debt, high crime during the event, and a bunch of facillities that the community has next to no use for?

I really got a chuckle out of this:

Anchorage has grown by about 100,000 people since then, Sullivan said. It also holds more hotel rooms and other amenities for visitors and features better athletic facilities, he said.

Granted I do not stay in hotels here, but we have a grand total of 4 places which are even remotely worth spending money to stay at and a bunch of flea bag dives where you're lucky to make it through the night without becoming the victim of a crime or being eaten alive by bedbugs. The traffic nightmare is another issue which I don't think Sullivan is putting any thought into. I would think the idea of suddenly throwing summer level traffic on the Seward Hwy in the dead of winter as people flock between Anc and Alyeska for any of the downhill and skiing/snowboarding events isn't going to go well for any of us.

We've got enough boondoggles for the next 20 years already without the need to add yet one more to the list. Unfortunately, they'll probably get this before the voters and it will probably be approved by a narrow margin... with most of the "fors" being from voters who won't even still live here when the actual Olympics are held.

reply to post by burdman30ott6


I hear Mitt Romney is looking for a job here recently. He set up Salt Lake City for their winter games! Hey, give him a call and have him come on up, eh? What could go wrong?

(Hops off like a fuzzy Cheetah to hide in hole)

I think Alaska would be a great place for Winter Olympics!

Originally posted by CALGARIAN
I think Alaska would be a great place for Winter Olympics!

Don't get me wrong, from a winter sports venue position, it makes a lot of sense. From an infrastructure, planning, economic, and logistical position, it makes no sense at all.

To be honest, I don't know why any city or state would ever want to host the Olympics. The amount of debt and disarray left behind when the event is over combined with the serious inconvenience to the residents during the event make avoiding ever hosting a no-brainer in my opinion. That is especially true of Alaska. We don't have local contractors large enough nor bonded enough to do the prep work, so the majority of monies spent will siphon back to the lower 48 in record time.

I guess my issue is "What's in it for us?"

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
I hear Mitt Romney is looking for a job here recently. He set up Salt Lake City for their winter games! Hey, give him a call and have him come on up, eh? What could go wrong?

RINOs are usually a jungle or desert plains animal. I don't think they'd find the frigid tundra much to their liking.