U.S. Olympic officials offer details on 2024 bid process

PARK CITY, Utah — U.S. Olympic officials considering an American bid for the 2024 Summer Games, said Tuesday they would favor a city that has major sports venues already constructed and in operation.

And that would seem like good news for the contingent hoping to bring the Olympics to Los Angeles for a third time.

The U.S. Olympic Committee, which is holding a media summit in Park City this week, confirmed that it is speaking with fewer than 10 cities and will not choose a preferred candidate until the end of 2014. In addition to Los Angeles, Dallas and Washington have expressed interest.

USOC Chief Scott Blackmun said his organization wants a bid city that can host an affordable Games and has a reasonable chance of winning against international competitors. As to the point of affordability, infrastructure is key.

“We’d rather see venues that are viable and currently in use than venues that would have to be built,” Blackmun said. “That clearly is one of the factors.”

The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games has talked about how Los Angeles might call upon the Coliseum, Rose Bowl, Staples Center, StubHub Center and Honda Center as competition sites.

At the same time, in recent years International Olympic Committee members have looked past bid cities with strong infrastructures, voting instead for cities willing to build extensively.

The USOC will not make a decision about putting forth a bid until it has selected a city and weighed its chances for success.

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