For the residents of Colorado Springs, Colorado, that whooshing sound you hear might be the moving trucks, if the USOC can't come to an agreement to stay in your city.
Frankly, I am surprised at the timing of their desires to look for new space. And, (ho ho) if reports are to be believed, Chicago is being touted as one of the places under consideration for their new HQ. Hmmm, aren't they bidding for something?
I just think the timing of this is suspect, what with Copenhagen coming up in 2009, and the possibility that Chicago officials could use a possible USOC move as an unfair advantage to their bid in case it does come to fruition that they move there.
There are so much more pressing issues for the USOC to be dealing with now. Doping. Marion Jones. The safety of athletes (and journalists!) in 2008. The results from Sydney being thrown into disarray. A new HQ should be the last thing on the totem pole.
Their desire for a new HQ shows that their priorities are in the wrong order. Concentrate on keeping (and retaining) what you have, deal with your pressing issues first, and then re-evaluate and if the situation warrants, then start looking elsewhere.
But don't use it to give a bid city an unfair advantage. We don't want another SLC situation on the books again.
Otherwise, you may have more on your hands than you realised, and it will be quite difficult to clean it off.
