Sep 26, 2006 6:40 pm US/Central
Rio Boosting Chances For 2016 Olympic Games
Brazillian City To Host Next Year's Pan Am Games
by Mike Parker
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
The
International Olympic Committee is spanning the globe in search of the perfect location for the 2016 summer games. A key competitor came to town Tuesday, setting up a ''tale of two cities.''
CBS 2's Mike Parker looks at what
Rio de Janeiro has to offer.
While the city of Chicago is talking about turning a huge chunk of Washington Park into a 95,000-seat Olympic stadium and talking about building an Olympic Athletes Village south of McCormick Place, the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is making some real moves to strengthen its position.
In July 2007, the sun-drenched South American tourism capital will host the 15th
Pan American Games. Brazilian officials were touting that Tuesday in Chicago.
"The legacy of the games will not only be the spirit of the games itself, but also the infrastructure that is going to be," said Brazilian Consul General Ricardo Luiz de Carvalho.
Not far from its blue waters and sandy beaches, Rio is already building a village for almost 6,000 athletes. Rio is spending $500 million to create venues for next year's Pan Am games.
De Carvalho said that infrastructure could give them an advantage in bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games.
The Olympics may be only a gleam in Rio's eye right now, and nothing is absolute until its absolutely decided, but one interested party says all that is a good sign for the Brazilian city.
"I don't know if it gives them a leg up, but it certainly gives them exposure and experience in organizing a major athletic event, which is valuable for Rio," said James McCarthy on the U.S. Olympic Committee.
We often talk as if Los Angeles and San Francisco were our only competition for the 2016 games. They're our only American rivals. In addition to Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Madrid are also in the running.
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