International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge told Lake Placid officials last month to consider a bid for the Winter Youth Olympic Games when they were in Lausanne Switzerland to attend the second annual meeting of the World Union of Olympic Cities.
The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports at one point during the meeting Rogge asked if Lake Placid planned to submit a bid for the 2016 Winter Youth Games. According to Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau President and CEO James McKenna who was at the meeting, Rogge said, “why don’t you consider bidding for the Winter Youth Olympics”. McKenna added, “we didn’t expect him to ask that”.
“If I read between the lines, there was some encouragement there” said Lake Placid Mayor Craig Randall. “We’ll see where it goes”.
McKenna stressed that a decision about Lake Placid even putting together a bid hasn’t been made and would need to be done in consultation with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Lake Placid was considering a bid for the 2012 Youth Games, but the USOC didn’t submit any proposals because of Chicago’s 2016 bid.
McKenna said “our elected officials have to decide whether they want to do that because there’s a lot involved. It’s not like bidding for the Ironman or bobsleigh championships. It’s not an easy thing”.
Randall said, “I’m inspired enough about the possibility to try and bring together a meeting of the minds and resources that exist. We’d certainly want to consider the prospects”.
While Randall and McKenna were in Lausanne, a contingent of USOC officials were touring Lake Placid and its state-owned Olympic venues. The group was led by Chris Sullivan, the USOC’s chief bid officer for Chicago’s failed 2016 bid who told Randall that they were impressed with the village’s spirit and facilities. Randall said, “it appears that we’ll have the support and encouragement we’ll need”.
