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Could Baton Rouge Host the 2028


timelordnerd

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For the past few weeks a question has been bugging me to the point of joining this board and that is could our city host an event so large named the Olympics and Paralympics.  Before reading on this is just a suggestion of what the city may do in order to make this a possibility. 

 

Fall 2013: Apple Announces a new Headquarters for Baton Rouge

Fall 2013: Kip Holden Announces the re-building of Government Street

Spring 2014: Microsoft also announces a new headquarters to be located within city limits 

Spring 2014: Downtown's first David and Busters in announced

Spring/Summer 2014: Acadian Village is complete

Summer 2014: American Girl announces a new flagship store for Acadian Village

Summer 2014: more downtown development is announced

Fall 2014: Mayor announces the new commuter line linking BR, Hammond, and NOLA

Early 2015: Governor announces a small High Speed system linking Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.

Spring 2015: California, New Mexico, and Arizona announce plans to link their high speed system with Louisiana and Texas's

Summer 2015: Mayor announces Baton Rouges bid for the 2028 Olympics in the following press release: 

 

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      In the past few years Baton Rouge's growth and development has been recognized on a national and global stage. It is our intention to continue this growth in the 2028 Olympics. The Olympics are an important time for the world to come together and celebrate and by having our city contribute to that would be a great duty. In the next few years we will begin more development in order to meet the requirements for an Olympic host city. In the hope of our city receiving this great task we have created rough sketches of what our celebration may look like. 

 

      The 2028 Olympics would be centered on the LSU Campus, our sport's program will expand and currently used facility's will be renovated to create a unique, traditional, and modern look for 2028. New buildings that will be constructed include the Olympic Village; A new vertical neighbor hood of twenty twelve story towers, 8 training facility's, and 8 dinning rooms. Various other building will be revealed and announced at a latter date. For the Opening and Closing Ceremony Tiger Stadium will be re-modeled. A Temporary track and ceremony stage will be placed over the field and an extra 50,000 seats will be added to increase the stadiums capacity. Below is early concept of what it may look like:

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To enhance the city's look, feel, and transportation the Mississippi River Bridge will be re-built with the new design featured below: 

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In the future more information will be released.

 

That's all I can think of but please answer the question: Could we do it?

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Wow.  In short, no. New Orleans would be the only city in Louisiana that the IOC would consider awarding the games to, at least for the next 50-100 years. It would be great to think the games could be hosted before I croak but we'd have to have insane growth to have enough hotel rooms, sponsors, infrastructure, transportation, world-class airport, less crime, etc. We would have to build a new Olympic Park probably on the westbank or near Farr Park if both areas aren't overly developed by then.

 

Your optimistic economy of the future is flattering but far-fetched. The Main Street Bridge in Jacksonville is much smaller, nearly 4 times smaller than the Horace Wilkinson. I would rather a new bridge parallel to the current one.

 

If anything, it would be possible if New Orleans won the bid and we received a healthy economic impact and maybe hosted a couple of events.

 

In the end we would probably lose millions with all the necessary infrastructure needed and the fear we won't be able to afford to keep them operational.

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Wow.  In short, no. New Orleans would be the only city in Louisiana that the IOC would consider awarding the games to, at least for the next 50-100 years. It would be great to think the games could be hosted before I croak but we'd have to have insane growth to have enough hotel rooms, sponsors, infrastructure, transportation, world-class airport, less crime, etc. We would have to build a new Olympic Park probably on the westbank or near Farr Park if both areas aren't overly developed by then.

 

Your optimistic economy of the future is flattering but far-fetched. The Main Street Bridge in Jacksonville is much smaller, nearly 4 times smaller than the Horace Wilkinson. I would rather a new bridge parallel to the current one.

 

If anything, it would be possible if New Orleans won the bid and we received a healthy economic impact and maybe hosted a couple of events.

 

In the end we would probably lose millions with all the necessary infrastructure needed and the fear we won't be able to afford to keep them operational.

I think that within twenty years the growth would be possible. Also wouldn't a Olympic games help boost interest in the city? If we spent around 3 billion we could take in around 1 billion from the games based on the London economic return.

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I think that within twenty years the growth would be possible. Also wouldn't a Olympic games help boost interest in the city? If we spent around 3 billion we could take in around 1 billion from the games based on the London economic return.

What do you mean by interest? Why would you want to take a multi-billion dollar hit just for an event where the venues will collect dust after the games are over?

 

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

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Welcome to the BR Forum timelordnerd.....Looking forward to your future post!

 

I can definitely appreciate your enthusiasm! That's a nice list of future announcements/developments!

 

When I think of Olympic cities...I think of "International" cities...& unless New Orleans sinks into the Gulf...BR will always remain in it's shadows...if NOLA was to host an Olympics....maybe BR could host a few events.

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It's not April 1

New Orleans won't get a game until hell freezes over.....much less Baton Rouge.

Nice enthusiasm. I'd bet Houston puts in a bid soon!

Houston

Nashville

Salt Lake City

Memphis

Tampa

Denver

Seattle

St Louis

Dallas

Boston

Phoenix

All of them are probably in line ahead of any Louisiana city.

You do bring up a point: Baton Rouge probably does need to consider improving their brand awareness by building larger outdoor music arenas, more convention space, and a better transportation networks.

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What do you mean by interest? Why would you want to take a multi-billion dollar hit just for an event where the venues will collect dust after the games are over?

 

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

By interest I mean a chance for BR to showcase the developmental potential. Also how would re-vamped venues collect dust such as LSU's aquatic center, Stadium and other re-purposed venues. I would also like to thank everyone for their kind welcome's i'm a bit excited to join.  

Welcome to the BR Forum timelordnerd.....Looking forward to your future post!

 

I can definitely appreciate your enthusiasm! That's a nice list of future announcements/developments!

 

When I think of Olympic cities...I think of "International" cities...& unless New Orleans sinks into the Gulf...BR will always remain in it's shadows...if NOLA was to host an Olympics....maybe BR could host a few events.

I think that with enough investment BR could become a major US city; and one far more organized than NOLA.

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Well... anything is possible, whether its probable is the real question. Lol Something big might happen though, cause a lot of stuff I didn't really expect has already happened, so... Of course we'd need a mega upgraded airport and other enhanced amenities as well as a Serengeti-migration level of people and like Cajun said, a stronger brand, which might take a little longer than 15 years.

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By interest I mean a chance for BR to showcase the developmental potential. Also how would re-vamped venues collect dust such as LSU's aquatic center, Stadium and other re-purposed venues. I would also like to thank everyone for their kind welcome's i'm a bit excited to join.  

I think that with enough investment BR could become a major US city; and one far more organized than NOLA.

Tiger Stadium is not an adequate building for the Olympics, it would have to be domed to escape the oppressive humidity and the seating is far too close together to house international diplomats and celebrities.

 

I do believe that it's possible Baton Rouge could grow larger than New Orleans, New Orleans will always be the international destination city.

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If Chicago was unable to host most recent Summer Olympics(losing to London 12')...don't see how BR ever would. Rio is next in 2016. Looking at possible future 2020 sites include: Istanbul; Madrid; Tokyo...those are some HUGE cities...how could BR compete with that??

 

After seeing Atlanta host back in 96'...Houston possibly could be a good candidate in the future.

 

Salt Lake City has already hosted the Winter Olympics...

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Chicago lost to Brazil. The IOC has shown that they would like to have city's that are unknown or could use an Olympics.

You obviously don't know how the IOC works. They don't care about exotic locations or big cities. They care who gives them the biggest perks, subsidies, freebies just like any company.

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Wow.  I sincerely love the optimism of this post.  I think if the things you mentioned in the time line happened it could lead to the type of growth that could expand Baton Rouge to a city of olympic size.  Perhaps with a diverse economy and some intense branding we could make a succesful bid.  However, I think all of this is highly unlikely.  But hey I'll take the new corporations coming in even if we can't get the olympics! :shades:

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The big problem the IOC has with the US is the ban on federal spending for Olympics projects. The IOC loves to drain national treasuries for their 2 week spectacles. That's why they mainly prey on emerging countries looking for validation and respect as well as those with parliaments eager to shower largesse on stadiums and other public works. What happened in Athens and Beijing should be enough to keep any sensible US city from bidding: billions wasted on empty stadiums and facilities.

Thought this would be appropriate here. This quote is talking about the Tulsa bid.

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You are right. Most of the funding will fall back on the state of the host city.

This is why Texas and New York have the best chance to host the Olympics next. If it's Texas, you may see a shared deal between Houston and the surrounding areas.

Louisiana (or Illinois) doesn't have as much leverage....although I think a place like New Orleans, Kansas City, St Louis, Memphis, or another city near a state border may have a better shot if they can cooperate with said neighboring state(s).

Again, hard to overcome New York's obvious advantage there too.

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Thought this would be appropriate here. This quote is talking about the Tulsa bid.

The problem with those cities is that they are not sport cities. Baton rouge is known for its sports loving people. The renovated and new facilites would be used. I can also see the Olympic village becoming apartments or student dorms after the games. 

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