1996 Summer Olympic Bids
| Overview | |
|---|---|
|
Games of the XXVI Olympiad X Paralympic Games |
|
 |
|
|
Atlanta Athens · Toronto · Melbourne · Manchester · Belgrade |
|
| Details | |
| Committee | IOC |
| Election venue |
Tokyo 96th IOC Session |
| Map | |
 |
|
| Important dates | |
| Decision | September 18, 1990 |
| Decision | |
| Winner | Atlanta (51 votes) |
| Runner-up | Athens (35 votes) |
Six cities submitted bids to host the 1996 Summer Olympics (formally known as Games of the XXVI Olympiad), which were awarded to Atlanta, on September 18, 1990. The other candidate cities were Athens (Greece), Toronto (Canada), Melbourne (Australia), Manchester (United Kingdom) and Belgrade (Yugoslavia).
Atlanta was selected by the USOC over bids from Nashville, San Francisco and runner-up Minneapolis to be the U.S. representative in international bidding. The city entered the competition as a dark horse, being up against stiff competition. The US media also criticized it as a second-tier city and complained of Georgia's Confederate history. However, the IOC Evaluation Commission ranked Atlanta's infrastructure and facilities the highest, while IOC members said that it could guarantee large television revenues similar to the success of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Additionally, former US ambassador to the UN and Atlanta mayor Andrew Jackson Young touted Atlanta's civil rights history and reputation for racial harmony. Young also wanted to showcase a reformed American South. The strong economy of Atlanta and improved race relations in the South helped to impress the IOC officials. The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) also proposed a substantial revenue-sharing with the IOC, USOC, and other NOCs.
...
Wikipedia