PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – Some New York leaders are calling for an exploratory committee to pursue another Olympic Games in the Empire State, with a potential bid that would be split between New York City and Lake Placid.
Former North Country Assemblyman Billy Jones is among those leading the push.
“I think there is a lot of support for this concept or at least looking into this idea,” Jones said. “Calling for an exploratory committee to try to formalize it and take it to the next step. I think right now is the ideal time to do it because we have seen how it is working right now in Milan Cortina.”
The Olympic Regional Development Authority said it has demonstrated it can host at a world-class level, citing a string of World Cups and an alternate bid for this year’s sliding games from the International Olympic Committee.
“I think we are obviously seeing results on the world stage at the Milan Cortina Olympics with a number of athletes that are being successful, whether they are born and raised in New York state or in this region, or they train and compete here, and, in particular, the aerial athletes who left directly from here to go directly to Italy after they trained here,” said Darcy Norfolk Rowe, ORDA’s director of communications.
However, questions remain over whether the state will continue to invest in the facilities, with the earliest potential hosting dates 12 to 15 years away.
“The investment to date has been generational to bring the facilities up to the world-class standards there are, but yes, maintenance is always going to be ongoing. There is going to be new technologies, new standards within sports disciplines themselves,” Norfolk Rowe said.
Republican State Sen. Dan Stec has a bill that would create a 13-member commission on hosting the Games. The bill is in committee.
