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Olympics, Pa. style

The Olympic Games bring out the best in the world—well, for the most part. That got me thinking.

Hosting an Olympics in Pennsylvania is plausible. Philadelphia’s best chance seemed to be 2024, but that is assuming the USOC doesn’t bid in 2022 with Anchorage, Denver, or Reno-Lake Tahoe. I’m sorry Pittsburgh, but it’s a lot less likely than you think. Philadelphia has so many key advantages for a Summer Olympiad.

Philadelphia has six Division I schools, giving them countless extra venues, not to mention the extra venues that simply come with the size of the population. The major sports teams and venues may more or less line up, but in practicality, the Pete and the Consol Energy Arena just can’t compete with the Wachovia Center, the Liacouras Center, the Palestra, and the Sovereign Bank Arena. Also, the resources needed to pull off such an event, despite the G-20 argument Pittsburgh may have, are far more reachable in Philly.

Envision the games in Philadelphia and then think—New York hasn’t held the Olympics yet? Philly 2024, here we come.

February 16, 2010 at 6:45 am

--Daniel Livingston

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