Bidding for the big prize.

Byline: Curtis Anderson The Register-Guard

The race to win the bid for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials has reached the final turn with two cities - Eugene and Sacramento - locked in a spirited, and at times contentious, battle for position.

With this week's finish line in view, the organizing committees for each city are gearing up for their finishing kicks.

Each side will have 90 minutes to make its case in Indianapolis on Friday before a nine-member site selection committee representing USA Track & Field, the governing body for the sport.

The committee is expected to make its final decision Friday night.

The winner of the bid earns the right to host the 2008 Trials, which feature eight days of competition over a 10-day span from June 27 to July 6. The athletes who make the U.S. team will go on to compete in the Beijing Olympics.

Craig Masback, the chief executive officer of USATF, and a voting member of the committee, has stated that the Trials are the `most important thing we do every four years' as both an athletic and business venture.

He is looking for a venue that can elevate the sport of track and field to another level, and in his mind, both Sacramento and Eugene appear to have the resources and commitment to provide that opportunity.

`We have two outstanding sites left,' he said. `I believe both cities can do what we ask. In the view of the committee as a whole, it's a question of which one can do that better.'

A leap of faith

For Eugene, which has long billed itself as the `track capital' of the United States, the stakes couldn't be higher.

Besides the obvious boost to the local economy - which USATF estimates to be as high as $20 million - hosting the 2008 Trials would signal a return to worldwide prominence in the sport that first was generated when the 1972, 1976 and 1980 Trials were held at Hayward Field.

`Those were all great events, but they were nothing compared to the magnitude of what this will be and what it can do to showcase our community, university and the state of Oregon,' said Bill Moos, the director of athletics at Oregon. `I don't think you can put a price tag on that.'

Those who support the Eugene bid are quick to point out that the Trials are not a one-shot deal.

`We are making an unwavering commitment to the sport of track and field like no other community has made in the history of the sport,' said Vin Lananna, Oregon's director of track and field operations. `As I look at the sport in this country, I believe we can do things better here. Given the opportunity, I think we can do something special and really make a difference.'

That level of enthusiasm was absent as recently as eight months ago, when a cloud of controversy seemed to hang over the entire UO track program and, by extension, the Eugene track community.

Then-head coach Martin Smith was widely viewed to have alienated factions of the track community, Hayward Field was perceived as an aging facility in need of a facelift, and there was a continued erosion of support and funding.

`At times, I was pretty sure this bid was not likely to go very far,' Oregon Track Club president Greg Erwin said. `It has been a bit of an odyssey over the last several months, but we all took a leap of faith and look where we are.'

Erwin and the OTC kept the flame lit by filing an intent to bid with USATF in March.

Shortly thereafter, on the eve of the 2005 outdoor track season, Smith reached a resignation settlement with Oregon, and subsequently, several Duck alumni and longtime track and field supporters began returning to the flock, and the dedication of Powell Plaza, the new entrance to Hayward Field, seemed to symbolize a new beginning.

As Moos prepared to pursue Lananna to become the next head track coach at Oregon, he took the bold step of commissioning a feasibility study to determine whether Eugene could put together a winning bid for the Trials.

`He and I both felt we should strive for this, to give it our best shot and see how it worked out,' Moos said. `Now, I think we have a great chance (to host the Trials). I really do.'

Lananna was officially handed the reins of the Oregon track and field program on July 13, and his energy and dedication to the Trials bid not only kept Eugene in the race, but might be enough to get it across the finish line in first place.

Quantity vs. quality?

Over the past several years, the U.S. Olympic Trials have grown into an enormous event with multimillion-dollar budgets.

Those who want to host the event must provide a facility with a minimum seating capacity of 12,500.

They are faced with specific housing and transportation requirements. They must address the needs of 1,500 athletes, 1,000 members of the media and hundreds of officials, VIPs and corporate sponsors, not to mention security concerns.

When Masback and a few other committee members visited Eugene last month, they were armed with a list of concerns:

Where was the funding going to come from to upgrade Hayward Field?

What was the level of local governmental support?

Is there enough housing in the local area to meet the needs of officials, athletes and media?

What about public transportation to and from airports?

One by one, the Eugene contingent responded to those queries.

They projected an estimated operating budget of $5 million to $6 million, a figure that includes as much as $2.5 million for improvements at Hayward Field. While Moos expressed optimism the money can be raised, it's important to note that those funds are not yet in hand.

`I think we impressed the committee. I think their concerns were answered in a positive manner,' Moos said. `It was my function to ensure them that Hayward Field would be in top shape and that we would have everything needed in order to host something as prestigious and huge as the Olympic Trials.'

Among the planned projects to upgrade Hayward Field are the construction of a new and expanded press box, resurfacing the track and the installation of a new scoreboard with video replay capabilities. Lighting and seating capacity also will be addressed, but probably in temporary fashion.

`We believe the capacity of Hayward Field can be as high as 17,000 each day,' said Prefontaine Classic meet director Tom Jordan, who co-authored the feasibility study with Barbara Kousky.

The listed seating capacity of Hayward Field is 10,707, but Jordan said the Pre Classic routinely handles crowds of up to 13,000 when athletes and standing-room-only tickets are taken into account.

Although Hornet Stadium in Sacramento can hold up to 24,000 people - which led to a record attendance of 187,000 at the 2000 Trials - Jordan said the difference between the two facilities is a question of `quality vs. quantity.'

`The difference between the atmosphere of 20,000 people in Sacramento and 15,000 at Hayward Field is like night and day,' he said. `When you compare the noise level, the knowledge of the fans and the appreciation of the athletes, Eugene is far and away the best venue.'

The magical connection between the fans and athletes at Hayward Field is what local officials believe is Eugene's trump card. The historic venue is often labeled as the `Carnegie Hall' of track and field.

`Vin (Lananna) told me that every day at practice, at least one or two people will walk in and start looking around and take pictures of Hayward Field,' Kousky said. `That's the track legacy of Eugene, and it's an important one.'

In terms of local government support, Lane County Commissioner Bobby Green and Angel Jones, the executive director of Library, Recreation and Cultural Services for the city of Eugene, are both members of the local organizing committee that will be involved in Friday's presentation.

`Sacramento will be tough, but we know how to do track and field,' Green said. `It's not a sideline business for us. It's a way of life.'

Although most athletes and officials would arrive in Eugene for the Trials, the Oregon Sports Authority has pledged its support by providing free shuttle service to and from the Portland Airport.

Kari Westlund, president of the Convention and Visitor's Association of Lane County Oregon, said the current estimate of 4,100 hotel rooms in the Eugene-Springfield area goes well beyond the required bid specifications for the Trials.

`The good news is that housing won't be an issue for athletes, meet officials and media,' Westlund said. `Where it might get interesting is accommodating spectators and people beyond those groups. But we host 59,000 people every time there's a football game at Autzen Stadium, so we're pretty sure we can accommodate people who want to come see the Trials.'

Jordan added that the Living and Learning Center, which is being built directly across the street from the Bowerman Building on the northwest corner of Hayward Field, can house 385 people in 200 rooms.

`I think our housing situation is better than Sacramento's in terms of convenience, overall price and the fact that nothing is more than 12 minutes away from Hayward Field,' he said.

`Our practice track (at South Eugene) is only five minutes away, and theirs is 25 minutes away. ... If I could trade our bid for their bid, I wouldn't do it.'

Sacramento's success

Sacramento's case is based on recent experience.

The California state capital played host to the past two U.S. Olympic Trials, and by all accounts, those events were greeted with rave reviews.

The biggest splash was made in the record number of fans who watched the event over eight days of competition in 2000.

Those figures dipped to 172,000 in 2004, a decrease attributed to negative publicity over the BALCO drug scandal.

`I think our experience is clearly a given and a necessity,' said John McCasey, executive director of the Sacramento Sports Commission and CEO of the Trials in 2000 and 2004. `What I mean by that is you're not just dealing with putting on a track meet anymore. The event has become enormous, and the last two Trials (in Sacramento) have been unprecedented in virtually every measurable way.'

Sacramento officials also point to the region's large population base - about 2 million residents - easy airport access, more than 28 hotels with an estimated 12,000 rooms within a 10-mile radius, and what they consider `ideal weather conditions' with average highs in the mid-90s during the day and lows around 60 at night.

Given all those factors, Sacramento is eager to proclaim itself as the `new' track capital of the United States.

`We respect what Eugene accomplished in the 1970s, but Sacramento has ushered in a new era for U.S. track and field,' McCasey said. `In terms of attendance and taking care of the athletes, we've raised the bar. I believe we're the only city that can clear that height in 2008.'

What isn't mentioned on the Sacramento Sports Commission Web site is that poor sight lines at Hornet Stadium make it hard to see the outside lanes from some seats.

Daytime temperatures can often bake spectators sitting on metal bleachers with no shade, and a lack of permanent restrooms creates an inconvenience.

Still, McCasey believes the Trials have outgrown Hayward Field.

`You know, they're building new and modern ballparks for a reason,' he said. `It's all fine and good for the Pre Classic, but this event is not what it was in the 1970s. It doesn't suit the Trials, even with the improvements. ... There is no doubt in my mind that the event has outgrown Hayward Field.'

Can Eugene win the race?

Does Eugene have a realistic chance to host the 2008 Trials?

Although Sacramento was the front-runner early in the process, the fact that USATF twice extended the bid deadline to accommodate Eugene has made McCasey nervous.

`I'm not comfortable with the politics,' he said.

McCasey went on to say that he thinks Sacramento would be a good choice as a permanent site for the Trials.

`If you can do it in such a way that you can attract 175,000 fans for eight days, put on a technically flawless competition in ideal weather and an affordable environment that's easy to get in and out of, I don't think anybody would have a problem with this thing going back to the same place,' he said.

Jordan has other ideas.

`Besides the Trials and the NCAA championships, what meets are they holding there on an annual basis as the `new' track capital of America?' he asked.

`We're passionate about track and field here. This isn't a convention like it is to Sacramento. That's why there are such strong emotions.'

Lananna, the former head track and field coach at Stanford, is quoted on the Sacramento Web site praising the 2000 Trials.

Back then, he told the San Francisco Chronicle, `I can't imagine a site doing a better job than Sacramento did. Even Eugene. I really think Sacramento did a marvelous job.'

That Sacramento would use Lananna's own words to further its cause is an example of the contentious nature of the bid process, which Jordan likened to a `presidential campaign.'

As for Lananna, he offers this update on his prior comments.

`Of course I would expect any site to be better than it was 25 years ago. I was comparing (Sacramento) to the 1976 Trials, which is the one I attended,' he said. `When we put on the Trials here in 2008, they will be better than anyone has seen.

`Sacramento has done a fine job, but is the sport any further ahead? Has there been a lasting legacy created? We don't plan to run a `fine' Trials in Eugene. We plan to run the best ever. We should all be looking to do what's good for the sport and nobody else has what Eugene has.'

EUGENE

Facility: Hayward Field.

Seating capacity: 10,707. Can be boosted to 17,000 with temporary bleachers.

Points in favor: Hayward Field considered one of the finest track and field venues in the world. Site of annual Prefontaine Classic, previous Trials in 1972, 1976 and 1980, nine NCAA championships and six U.S. championships. Passionate and knowledgable fans with a long history of support for track and field. New Oregon coach Vin Lananna brings renewed energy and enthusiasm to local track community. Strong ties to Nike, a valued sponsor of USATF. Local officials experienced at hosting major events. Long-term commitment to the sport. Media coverage would dominate state.

Obstacles to overcome: Potential of decreased attendance. Limited number of flights in and out of Eugene. High pollen count, although advent of ephedrine-free products has reduced number of complaints from coaches and athletes. Smaller metro area population and market size.

Will get the bid if ... : Committee members embrace special attributes of Hayward Field and Eugene's rich and historic tradition of support for track and field.

SACRAMENTO

Facility: Hornet Stadium.

Seating capacity: 24,000.

Points in favor: Last two Trials set new standards of attendance with average of 23,338 in 2000 and 21,529 in 2004. City also hosted NCAA championships in 2003 and 2005, with upcoming meets in 2006 and 2007. Hot daytime weather ideal for sprinters, while cooler evening temperatures favor distance runners. Large metropolitan population base, abundance of hotel rooms and easy access in and out of airport.

Obstacles to overcome: Stadium a converted football facility. Some seats have poor sight lines to outside lanes of track. Daytime heat can bake spectators on metal bleachers with no shade. Lack of permanent restrooms. Visiting track fans might prefer a new venue as opposed to another trip to Sacramento.

Will get the bid if ... : Committee members place highest priority on seating capacity, market size and recent track history.