Assessing value of Olympic City USA designation
As opening ceremonies for the 2016 Summer Olympics begin, KRDO NewsChannel 13 is asking how Colorado Springs benefits from its agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
According to the economic development agreement between both parties, which was first developed in 2009, the city paid more that $22 million to acquire and develop the downtown building at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Tejon Street for use as the U.S. Olympic Committee headquarters.
In return, the city is allowed to use, for marketing purposes, the official designation as an Olympic city and to have Olympic athletes appear at city events.
The USOC also made a 30-year commitment to keep its headquarters in the city.
In addition, the city spent nearly $10 million on improvements to the Olympic Training Center at the corner of Union Boulevard and Boulder Street.
Janet Suthers, wife of Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, is chairwoman of the Olympic City USA Task Force.
“We think there’s an opportunity for tourism,” she said. “We think the future Olympic Museum and Hall of Fame is going to be a great tourist attraction for the entire world. Colorado Springs has the potential of growing a fabulous sports economy that will create lots of jobs for our children and grandchildren.”
But what does the designation mean for people who visit and live in Colorado Springs?
“It takes a lot of thought or calculating to figure that out — whether it’s worth it or not,” said Blair Carbaugh, a tourist from Delaware. “I’m sure somebody must have done that, or they wasted a lot of money.”
Danette Richmond lives in Maryland but formerly lived in Colorado Springs and likes the Olympic atmosphere.
“I’m very interested in the Olympics,” she said. “We have friends — Michael Phelps’ family is a friend of our family — and it’s very interesting to me. If I was a business owner, I’d think it’d be a good thing.”
