Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, co-chair of the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus, released the following statement today regarding the announcement that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reached an agreement on revenue sharing issues that, without a resolution, could have delayed or prevented a hosting bid from Denver and other U.S. cities.
“I applaud the work of Chairman Larry Probst and the U.S. Olympic Committee for working with the IOC to reach an agreement on revenue sharing. Not only does this mean our athletes will get the support they need to excel, it now throws open the doors to bringing the Olympic Games back to U.S. soil,” Bennet said. “With the London Summer Games nearly upon us, sports fans across the country are looking forward to watching Team USA in action. The excitement of the 2012 Summer Games will drive the interest of potential American host cities, including Denver, to begin the process for launching a bid.
“This agreement will help Governor Hickenlooper, Mayor Hancock and the Denver Exploratory Committee advance preparations for a possible bid with certainty that it can move forward.”
It has been 10 years since the United States hosted a Winter Games (Salt Lake City) and 16 years since we hosted a Summer Games (Atlanta).