NYC2012

Feb 20-25, 2005

New York City

NYC2012, a dream indeed. What an encouraging celebration! As a candidate for the hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, New York City eagerly awaits the vote on July 6 of 2005. Besides the making of history—as one of the largest cities in the world hosts a worldwide event, hosting an international event of this magnitude could prove to be the breath of life that a city who's economy has been slowing over the last three and a half years has been waiting for.

The celebration began as the Evaluation Commission (EC) arrived in New York, where numerous press agents from all over the world were gathered about. From there, everyone headed over to New York's world famous Plaza Hotel for yet more photo opportunities. The first night concluded with a wonderful press gathering at the world famous Rainbow Room at New York City's famous Rockefeller Center. The speakers included Deputy NYC Mayor and NYC Bid Committee Founder Dan Doctoroff, who welcomed all that were present and gave everyone an overview as to how the 2012 Olympic Games could give New York City the kind of facelift as it hasn't seen in a very long time; Michael Moran, the Communications Counselor for NYC2012, who briefed everyone on how excited everyone is about the prospect of having a world-class event of such magnitude come to New York.

On Monday, Feb 21 st , there was another photo opportunity at 8:30am, which included press briefings, during, which New York 's bid highlights were presented to the Evaluation Commission. This took place at the Plaza Hotel's most beautiful room, Rose Room . The conference was opened by NYC2012's Executive Director, Jay Kriegel. Also present were Olympic and Paralympic Game Experts. After the conference at the Plaza, at noon, there was a rally held to support New York's Olympic, followed later that day by a Newsmaker Lunch over at the world famous Christie's auction house, where Christie's President Stephen Lash opened with a warm welcome to all in attendance. Mr. Lash, by the way, also spoke of a private agenda to have art auctions become recognized as an “indoor sport.” After Mr. Lash's welcome, Janet Evans, a former Olympian, came up and spoke briefly about the excitement of an Olympic athlete receiving a standing ovation from his/her nation's cheering section at the games. Ms. Evans then introduced the keynote speaker, the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. Upon taking the stand, Mr. Bloomberg began speaking of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games as a two week spectacle at which over 100,000 from all over the world be gathered. He then justified New York City as an execellent host candidate because of its “tradition for putting on events.” Mr. Bloomberg touched on the already inherent ethnic diversity of New York City 's population, marking this quality as qualifying attribute in NYC's run for 2012's Olympic hosting. He told everyone that many of the key union contractors and workers who will be involved in the construction in and around New York City in preparation for the Olympic games, should NYC win the hosting bid, have already signed ten-year no-strike pledges, as an assurance that a labor strike would not threaten New York City's constructional preparation for the 2012 summer games, should the City win the bid. He touched on New York City being the place where one can find everything. Many people have given up families and certain lifestyles to come to New York for a better life. He spoke of the various unoccupied areas of the cities—landfills and brown areas, which the City is going to build up for occupancy, and also spoke about the 45,000 hotel rooms that have already been blocked out witht reasonable accommodation rates) for visitors staying in the City for the two-week period. On a different note, Mr. Bloomberg added that it's always been a dream for him to see his own daughter compete in the Olympics and concluded by asking everyone to make lots of purchases to support the City's sales tax revenues (which brought about a bit of chuckling from the audience.)

At the end of the day, at the Rose Room , everyone was briefed by NYC2012 Founder Dan Doctoroff prior to heading off to the New York Athletic Club, where the U.S. Olympic Committee held a generous cocktail reception. There were a number of Olympic medallists present at the reception, who were given recognition for their achievements, including Nelson Veils, 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist in Cycling; Nadia Comaneci, 1976 Olympic Gold Medalist in Gymnastics (and the first athlete ever to receive a perfect 10 score in all-around gymnastics); her husband, Bart Conners, also an Olympic Gold Medalist in Gymnastics, and many more. NYC2012's Communications Counselor welcomed everyone to the reception, and spoke a bit about the importance of NYC having the opportunity to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. NYC2012 Executive Director Jay Kreigel got up and spoke about how NYC2012 is looking to show the Olympic Committee that its hosting the 2012 Summer Olympic Games is “a great plan.” further adding that, in addition to the venues that are already in place, there will be yet many more added. NYC2012 Founder and NYC Deputy Mayor added yet more comments on the striking benefits which the Olympic Games will have on the City even after they are over.”

On Tuesday morning, there was a tour of the various Olympic Venues. This was a great opportunity for New York City to show its cultural diversity as a qualification for hosting the 2012 Olympic Games. On the tour, there were such attractions in Manhattan as the Olympic Village, the Olympic Stadium (for Athletics & Soccer), the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (for fencing, weightlifting, judo and taekwondo); in Queens, the National Tennis Center at the U.S. Tennis Association, Flushing Meadows Corona Park's Olympic Water Polo Center, and Olympic Whitewater Center; and in Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Olympic Arena, the Olympic Beach Volleyball Arena, and the Olympic Aquatic Center Diving Arena. Let's not forget the Bronx , where the world-famous Yankee Stadium will host the baseball segment of the great Olympic games of 2012 (should New York City win). There was yet another photo opportunity at Long Island City 's Gantry State Park Pier.

After the tour, the press was taken to the Crabhouse in Long Island City , where former Olympic Basketball Gold Medalist and former Senator Bill Bradley spoke. Mr. Bradley gave a great keynote speech, the highlights of which was New York City's hard-working ethics, which aligns with the hard work and dedication that every aspiring Olympic athlete needs to commit to in order to succeed. Through this point, Sen. Bradley, implied that it's only natural that a multi-cultural, international event as the Olympics take place in a city who's diverse inhabitants, from over 200 nations around the world, are willing to go the extra mile to overtake the competition and win the Gold. Olympic champions present included '78 Olympic Gold Medalist runner Grete Waitz;

Later on that day were more presentations made to the Olympic Committee, including a tour of the Madison Square Garden, a tour of the Harlem based 369th Regiment Armory, and a presentation of the Olympic Stadium. Other attractions included a New York Road Runners race, entitled “Run for the Olympic Bid” at Central Park , and an end-of-day briefing by Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff.

Wednesday started out with an Olympic Sports Exhibition and a photo opportunity with Donald Trump, where Olympic Gold Medalists Carly Patterson and Bela Karolyi were in attendance. On the hi-beam were a number aspiring Olympic athletes that were students of European world-renowned coach Bela Karolyi, the greatest gymnastics trainer ever, who has trained the best in world-famous Olympic athletes—Nadia Comaneci, for example (also present)—more than any other coach in the history of Olympic gymnastics. Other athletes on hand to show support included Nadia's husband, Bart Conner, Shannon Miller, and Annia Hatch.

The press was again briefed on the highlights of the New York bid, and everyone then proceeded to the United Nation Delegate Dining room, for yet another Newsmaker Luncheon. There, guest speakers included U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Richard Holbrooke, world-renowned Olympic coach Bela Karolyi (who reminisced to the audience about the time he first came to New York , holding the hand of Nadia Comaneci, who gave a remarkable gymnastic performance at Madison Square Garden . Bela commented that he was so impressed by the New York atmosphere that he felt in his heart that, this is the best place for the Olympic games to be hosted.

Other speakers included Diamil Faye, Senior Advisor for Games Operation, Djibril Diallo, Director of the United Nations at the New York Office of Support for Development and Peace, who spoke on U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's behalf. In his comments, the U.N. is in 100% favor of the Olympics coming to New York because of the precedent for world unity, and the peace which can (and probably will) result therefrom.

A press conference was held for the media by the New York Bid. This was the only press conference given by the International Olympic Committee—an opportunity for the Media to ask questions in regard to the progress of the New York City 2012 bid and the decisions they had made thusfar. Nawal El Moutawakel, who happens to be an ex Olympic athlete herself, said that there are 17 different points which the Evaluation Committee (EC) needs to review from each of the candidate cities. She commented that the EC was very impressed by the exemplary leadership demonstrated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYC2012's Founder, Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff. She added that New York has wonderful facilities to accommodate the Olympic Games. When asked if the West Side stadium is going to be an issue, she immediately replied that Mayor Bloomberg briefed her in assurance that the West Side Stadium will, in fact, be built. The International Olympic Committee will be releasing a report in June of 2005, which will provide an evaluation and detailed report of the city that was selected to host the 2012 Olympic games, and the reasons why.

We'd like to thank Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff, the Rubenstein Public Relations Company, and the International U.S. Olympic Committee, all of who contributed to this article by setting up photo opportunities and interviews. For more information, please feel free to log onto www.NYC2012.com.

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