SOUTHLAND COALITION AIMS TO BRING 2016 OLYMPICS TO L.A.Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer Touting the success of the 1984 games and the availability of world- class athletic facilities, a coalition of civic and business leaders aims to build a strong argument for bringing the 2016 Olympics to Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . The Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Committee for the Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. is compiling a three-binder bid package to present Jan.22 to the U.S. Olympic Committee. A similar proposal is being developed by Chicago -- the only other U.S. city seeking the designation -- but Los Angeles officials think they hold a strong position. ``In many respects, Los Angeles is a city built for the Olympics,'' said Barry Sanders Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is a Hall of Fame and Heisman Trophy winning American football running back who spent his entire professional career with the Detroit Lions of the NFL. , an attorney with a penchant for bow ties and colorful socks who is orchestrating the initial Olympic bid. ``We have world-class facilities here already that are in public use. Nothing has to be built specially for the Olympics.'' If Los Angeles wins the endorsement of the U.S. Olympic Committee in the spring, it will then be invited to prepare a bid for the International Olympic Committee “IOC” redirects here. For other uses, see IOC (disambiguation). The International Olympic Committee (French: Comité International Olympique) is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas on June 23 , detailing the financing, venues and other provisions involved in staging the summer games This article is about the Epyx video game series. For the international multi-sport event, see Summer Olympic Games. Summer Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx and released by U.S. Gold based on sports featured in the Summer Olympic Games. . ``We think we know how to do this,'' Sanders said. ``We've got a lot of people who were involved in 1984, and we have friends across the country willing to help us.'' No big construction Plans call for the Los Angeles Coliseum -- the centerpiece of the 1932 and 1984 games -- to be the venue for opening and closing ceremonies and the track competition in 2016. Sanders said only one new venue would have to be built -- a shooting range at Fairplex Park that could be turned over to law enforcement after the games. Other facilities -- from Staples Center and USC's Galen Center to Pauley Pavilion at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX -- already meet or exceed most Olympic standards and would be available well in advance for international qualifying competitions. ``No other Olympic city has been able to offer that and, without massive construction, we won't have the arguments over siting and financing and cost overruns,'' Sanders said. Additionally, the political battles that other cities may face over public financing of the games and other issues have already been addressed and resolved in Los Angeles. ``It is not a question,'' Sanders said. ``Public money will not be used for this, and we expect to give back a great deal.'' The Los Angeles model proved such a success that even government watchdogs praise the effort. ``For something like this, we would even support spending money to help organize them and put in the official bid,'' said Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association helped sponsor Proposition 13, the property tax-cutting initiative in California in 1978 which slashed property taxes by fifty-seven percent and initiated a national tax revolt. It was founded by California republican Howard Jarvis. . ``An event like this can bring in millions of dollars. ``As long as there is no massive public investment in major buildings, this can be a good deal for everyone.'' '84 games profitable In fact, the 1984 Olympics generated so much profit that backers were able to establish a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. to promote and support amateur athletes. Sanders said the Southern California Olympic committee is using that model to fund ``Ready, Set, Gold,'' a program promoting physical fitness in the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . Former Olympic athletes visit 30 targeted schools five times a year to speak to students about diet, exercise and physical fitness. ``We have a problem in the district where we score among the lowest in physical fitness,'' school board President Marlene Canter said. ``When they came to us with this idea, it is exactly what we were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. .'' Sanders said he hopes to expand the program to 50 schools this coming year and that it will eventually be used as a model for international cities seeking the Games. ``This is something that we hope is lasting and spreads across the world,'' Sanders said. rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com (213) 978-0390 |
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