By Tom Nicholson
At a news conference held in Queens West, the proposed location of the Olympic Village, Doctoroff and U.S. Olympic Committee President William Martin outlined details of the city' bid sent last week to the IOC.
New York is vying against eight other cities for the summer games.
The bid answered several questions the IOC asked candidate cities in a questionnaire sent out last year.
Among points addressed in the bid were the city's motivation to host the games, the city's hosting concept, public opinion on the plan, government support, the makeup of the city's host committees, legal aspects, a budget to pay for costs, revenue-generating potential, venues, the Olympic Village location, hotels, media accommodations, transportation and airports, and security.
Long Island City, the proposed location for the Olympic Village and other venues, figures prominently in the bid and would be a major economic recipient during and after the games, Doctoroff said.
Presented in a 65-page book in both English and French, the bid includes details of a concept called the “Olympic X Plan,” which connects the athletic venues scattered throughout the five boroughs on an intersecting “X” of rail and water transportation routes. The Olympic Village would be at the center of the X.
The village, which would house 16,000 Olympic athletes, would consist of several high-rise buildings built on the riverfront near Queens West.
“We're here in (Queens West) today because this would be the center of the Olympic Games as the site of the Olympic Village,” Doctoroff said, citing Long Island City's geographically central location in the city, its abundant access to rail, highway and water transportation, and its expansive view of Manhattan's skyline as appealing features.
The bid also highlighted other spots in western Queens, including a badminton venue and velodrome just north of Queens West in Long Island City near the Queensboro Bridge.
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is proposed as the venue for tennis, white-water kayaking, canoeing and rowing. Doctoroff said the ponds at the park would be dredged and cleaned for the events.
“The water there is horribly polluted,” Doctoroff said, “so Queens would be getting an environmental benefit from this too.”
Doctoroff said the multiple construction projects planned for the games would be funded through ticket sales, estimated to bring in $813 million, and from $687 million expected from national and local donations.
Another $69 million in revenue from the Paralympics, athletic events for handicapped people held in conjunction with the Olympic Games, and other miscellaneous sources totaling about $170 million would add to the projected earnings, Doctoroff said.
NYC2012, the organization founded to formulate the Olympic bid, will spend about $225 million in its efforts to bring the games to New York, Doctoroff said.
Doctoroff said the cost to taxpayers of hosting the games would be minimal.
“We view this as a privately financed Olympic Games,” he said.
Reach Reporter Tom Nicholson by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by calling 718-229-0300, Ext. 157.
