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By Deborah Carl
Romney Recognized for Recovery of Salt Lake Winter Olympics
Romney Recognized for Recovery of Salt Lake Winter Olympics
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - With the 2002 Winter Games just one year away,
Mitt Romney is working hard to get Salt Lake City ready. Romney, who
challenged Edward M. Kennedy for the U.S. Senate seat in 1994, was
hired to steer the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and repair the
damage caused by the Olympic bid scandal.
Putting together an Olympics is full of challenges. "Someone said it
must be like hosting a Super Bowl. It's actually more like hosting
100 Super Bowls at the same time. Instead of two teams, we have 80
teams. Instead of one broadcaster, we have 70 broadcasters. In
almost every respect the Olympics operation challenges are
overwhelming," Romney reported.
When Romney started, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee was $379
million behind and all the usual sponsors had been signed. "I felt
like I stepped into an empty elevator shaft," Romney said. Now he
has $800 million in sponsorships from U.S. companies and has sold 160
million tickets.
Romney was disappointed that Salt Lake City participated in a flawed
bid system. "That a few people let down their ethical guard is most
disappointing," Romney said. "In a setting where people have lost
confidence it is absolutely essential to adopt a policy of openness
... Things are never as bad as people fear. If the truth is open to
everyone, confidence can again be rebuilt." Romney has three rules.
No. 1: No one is above the rules. No. 2: It is not an excuse to say
everyone else did it. No. 3: It is inexcusable to hide the truth.
Romney feels professional sport tickets are too expensive for the
average citizen. The Salt Lake ticketing policy is designed to
provided tickets at prices for ordinary citizens.
Romney believes that more countries are developing economically and
will want to host the Olympics. "We have come to expect the Games in
America at least once a decade. There are now many, many countries
that want the Games and their representatives sit on the
International Olympic Committee. I would not be surprised if it took
10 or 20 years for the Games to come to America again."
Romney, who has deep Utah roots and Mormon ancestry, says he is not
sure if he will return to Massachusetts after the Winter Games or
what he will work on next; however, he is listed as a potential
candidate for Massachusetts governor.
Source:
The man who revived Salt Lake
St Paul MN Pioneer (Knight Ridder) 11Feb01 S2
By Elliott Almond: Knight Ridder Newspapers
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