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Shorter list U.S. 2012 contenders to be pared down
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- It was anyone's guess which sites would make the short list of American cities hoping to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, but New York entered as a leading contender. The U.S. Olympic Committee was scheduled to meet Friday to come up with a list of four or five finalists. The committee will pick an American city in November 2002 to compete against other cities worldwide. New York was likely to be in the mix. The city drew sympathetic support after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and its US$3.3 billion bid got a boost when some suggested holding the games there would demonstrate America's resolve against terrorism. Washington, D.C., also a victim of the attacks, was another top candidate. Also in contention are Los Angeles; San Francisco; Houston; Dallas; Tampa, Florida; and Cincinnati. A selection committee has ranked cities in 13 different categories, including sports facilities and security. Cities that make it through the first round are expected to rank highest in overall categories. There has been speculation that Houston and Tampa will advance past the first round because they're the only bids that have posted financial guarantees required by the USOC. Regardless of which American city is nominated, it will probably be part of a crowded field of contenders when the International Olympic Committee names the 2012 host in 2005. Potential bidders include Rome; Paris; London; Moscow; Madrid, Spain; Budapest, Hungary; Istanbul, Turkey; Toronto; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and possibly an African candidate.
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