Governor urges city to take a chance on stadium.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney told an audience of design, construction and real estate executives that New York City has an excellent shot to become the host city for the 2012 Summer Olympics but warned that the bid would be diminished absent a commitment to build an Olympic stadium on the West Side of Manhattan.

"I looked at your chances at the bid three or four years ago, and I thought it was a real long shot--next to impossible," Gov. Romney said during remarks at a Construction Industry Breakfast forum sponsored by the New York Building Congress on February 4. He then added that now, "I expect you to get it."

Gov. Romney, who took over at the helm of the Salt Lake City Organizing Committee after the group had been rocked by scandal and running up large deficits, said, "The single most important thing (in a successful bid) is the field of play and quality of experience for the athletes," citing the need for state-of-the-art venues and a world class Olympic Village.

That will be New York City's greatest hurdle, he continued. "They (the International Olympic Committee) often find out we don't always deliver what we promise," in terms of facilities. "There are all sorts of impediments to getting it done," he continued, adding that approvals and construction are often held up due to government bureaucracy and opponents intent on delaying through court challenges.

According to Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding Daniel Doctoroff, who founded NYC 2012, "We have about 150 days to go, and we have built up incredible momentum." The International Olympic Committee will announce the host city for the 2012 Summer Games on July 6 in Singapore.

Gov. Romney also discussed at length the incredible benefits of hosting an Olympiad. For example, he noted that the legacy of venues, buildings and infrastructure constructed to serve myriad competitions, officials and visitors will draw tourists and athletes to see and use them long after the games.

"Build these venues, and they will draw international competitions for years thereafter," Gov. Romney said. He cited Salt Lake City and Lake Placid as examples. These cities built and now maintain a host of winter sports athletic facilities, such as bobsled runs, that cannot be found anywhere else in the United States and which are used for national championships and international competitions.

Gov. Romney noted that New York is competing against a host of cities with strong bids, including Paris, London and Moscow, and that the IOC may believe the United States hosts more than its fair share of Games. But, he added, the City's bid possesses a number of attributes that help counterbalance any disadvantages. New York City, for example, is considered the surest bet in terms of implementing a profitable, successful Olympiad that will strengthen the "Olympic brand" and promote the three elements most cherished by the Olympic movement--athletics, culture and environmentalism.

Building Congress President Richard T. Anderson said afterward, "As we enter the homestretch in the Olympic bidding process, Gov. Romney provided a needed dose of enthusiasm and excitement. Given that we are all hard at work trying to satisfy the many mandates involved with a successful bid, it's nice to be reminded about how much this endeavor is worth fighting for."