Summit County Citizens Voice

Could the Olympic flag one day fly over Colorado?

Deadline for potential winter games bid drawing closer

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Settlement of a long-running dispute over Olympic television revenues has opened the door for a possible Colorado bid for the winter games, and later today, the Denver Olympic Exploratory Committee will release a report and recommendations on the region’s potential potential bid.

The announcement will be at 3 pm. at the Colorado Health Foundation.

The committee has been assessing four key aspects of bidding for and hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games including: community strengths and benefits, financial commitments, operational requirements and host city guaranties.

The committee includes health care professionals, former Olympic athletes, tourism experts and others. Last December, committee members said they would take a hard look at the economic impact of a potential bid and answer questions about such things as protocol, timing, venue requirements and process.

“The opportunity to pursue the Games is an endeavor worth taking very seriously,” Hickenlooper said in press release in December. “We’ve asked this exploratory committee to explore all issues relevant to Denver potentially submitting a bid to the USOC. Those issues include making certain any bid would be financially sound and will help economic growth in the state. We would also want to find ways to showcase Colorado as the healthiest state in the nation for work and play no matter of a bid’s outcome.”

Any decision to submit a bid for the 2022 Games will be based in part on outcomes from the Denver Exploratory Committee process and any outcomes relating to the International Olympic Committee and U.S. Olympic Committee decision-making processes.

“The combination of natural winter resources, healthy lifestyle and a pro-business environment would make Denver a strong applicant to host the Games,” Hancock said. “But first we’re going to ask the right questions and make sure we’re satisfied with the answers. The work by the Denver Exploratory Committee will begin laying the groundwork for a larger conversation about Denver playing host to the Olympics.”

The Denver Exploratory Committee is co-chaired by community leaders Anne Warhover and Don Elliman.

The Denver Exploratory Committee members are:

Co-chairs

• Don Elliman, Executive Director, Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Biology, University of Colorado Medical School
• Anne Warhover, CEO, Colorado Health Foundation

Members

• Ernie Blake, former Mayor of Breckenridge
• Jeremy Bloom, Olympian
• Kelly Brough, CEO, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
• KieAnn Brownell
  • Cedric Buchanon, City President, BBVA Compass
  • Mario Carrera, VP for Colorado Markets, Entravision Communications
  • Rob Cohen, CEO, IMA Financial Group
  • Tami Door, CEO, Downtown Denver Partnership
  • Steve Farber, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
  • Cole Finegan, Partner, Hogan Lovells
  • Harry Frampton, Chairman, Vail Valley Foundation
  • LaCharles Keesee, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Office of Mayor Michael Hancock
  • Ken Lund, Executive Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
  • Steve McConahey, Chairman, SGM Capital
  • Chris Osborn, Chairman of the Board, Poudre Valley Health System
  • Christine Riordan, Dean, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
  • Richard Scharf, CEO, Visit Denver
  • Hon. Elbra Wedgeworth, Chief Government and Community Relations Officer, Denver Health
  • Sara Will, Paralympian
  • Richard Young, Partner, Holme Roberts & Owen

Filed under: business, Colorado Tagged: | Colorado, Denver, IOC, Olympic winter games, olympics, USOC