Bring 2024 Olympics to San Francisco

NorCal would be far better host than SoCal

Jeff Facun, Staff Writer

Bring the Summer Olympic Games to San Francisco.

Los Angeles officials are stepping up their efforts to host the 2024 Summer Games, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. But L.A. has already hosted the games, so the commission that picks the location should give a new city a chance.

San Fransisco has never hosted the games, even though the city on the bay is the perfect location.

If the U.S. wins the bid for a spot in 2024, there would have been 28 years in between summer games. Atlanta was the host city in 1996.

The U.S. has plenty of bidders from Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Dallas for 2024. But let’s be honest, San Francisco is the only real contender.

The idea really isn’t that crazy. San Francisco has been considered as a Olympic host before.

According to cbsnews.com, San Francisco and New York were named finalists for the United States in 2002 to host the Summer Games in 2012. Eventually, New York won the nomination for the 2012 bid after the United States Olympic Committee eliminated San Francisco.

The city has the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39 and Market Street making it basically one giant tourist attraction. There would be no shortage of places to go sightseeing or rest at in between events.

San Francisco wouldn’t be the only city to host Olympic events. San Jose, Oakland and other Bay Area cities would help San Francisco. That means there would be no shortage of Olympic stadiums and facilities.

San Francisco has the perfect weather for the Olympic games. Because it is by the Pacific Ocean, it’s not hot or cold, but warm. The light breeze from the ocean cools down the summer sun from having temperatures at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

L.A. is located in the middle of a desert, so athletes would be forced to compete in inhumane temperatures.

Traffic is another issue. L.A. freeways can’t even handle its current traffic. There is no way they would be prepared to handle the extra stress brought on by a horde of tourists. It would be carmageddon two.

Northern California freeways are not perfect, but they are rarely filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Although San Francisco has hosted the World Series with the Giants in 2010 and 2012, bringing the Summer Games to the city will supplement its status as a better world tourist attraction for hosting a big event like this. It benefits everyone from tourists to athletes.

We need this, Bay Area. Let’s get San Francisco a bid for 2024. The world will enjoy the beautiful landscape and the attractions the city has to offer, no doubt about it. The Olympic stay for the athletes would be the perfect competitive vacation.