CVB plans reply to Summer Olympic bid invitation
The City of Memphis is moving forward with a plan after being invited to bid on the 2024 Summer Olympics.
"You just never know what could happen," said Memphis Convention and Visitor's Bureau president Kevin Kane who is not ignoring the bid. "We are going to respond to the U.S. Olympic Committee."
Memphis was one of 35 cities to receive a bid invitation letter in February. Mayor A C Wharton put the response in the hands of the CVB.
Kane assembled a committee of business leaders that will help pen the reply."We'll carry this and see where it goes. [It] could be a great opportunity for us, maybe nothing will come from it, but you just never know," said Kane.
Submitting a formal bid would cost Memphis $10 million. Hosting the games could cost the city around $3 billion.
"Our intent really [is] to open a dialogue with them because there's a lot of things around the Olympics," said Kane.
Kane is realistic about an Olympic long shot in Memphis, but he is also optimistic about the city. "I mean look at our basketball team right now. Why not Memphis, right?" he said.
本报讯 自从新市长沃顿履新后，如何恢复孟菲斯市过去的辉煌和带领孟菲斯市进一步成长，成了他的首要任务。过去的一年来，对于成为未来奥运会主办城市的设想，一直在市府官员们和议员们津津乐道的话题，进来孟菲斯市朝着竞选2024年夏季奥运会主办城市似乎又近了一步。
孟菲斯市会议及旅游局局长Kevin Kane 2013年5月10日向记者表示，在收到美国奥组委的邀请并经过初步讨论后，他们计划将正面回应美国奥组委的邀请，向着竞选2024年夏季奥运会主办城市更近一步。
孟菲斯市是今年2月份美国奥组委邀请的35座城市之一，市长AC沃顿将这一任务交到了市会议及旅游局手上，局长Kevin还专门组成了一个由孟菲斯地区商业领袖组成的委员会，以帮助回应美国奥组委的邀请。预计提交一份正式的投标申请将花费一千万美元，而举办整个夏季奥运会则将花费约三十亿美元。
“虽然不知道结果会如何，但我们的目的就是通过此次回应同相关部门建立联系，因为围绕奥林匹克运动会，还有许多事情可以做。”Kevin这样向记者表示，“虽然孟菲斯成为奥运会主办城市的可能性不大，但是我们仍对自己的城市保有信心，看看我们的灰熊队，谁说我们不行呢？”
5月15日晚，孟菲斯灰熊队再次击败奥克拉荷马雷霆队，以4:1的总比分进入NBA西区决赛，这是孟菲斯灰熊队第一次杀入西区决赛，也是孟菲斯灰熊队历史上的最好成绩。这让孟菲斯地区大街小巷中充满了欢乐节日气氛，也让今年孟菲斯五月节更多了喜庆色彩。
孟菲斯市申奥的路程还十分遥远，但是申奥的过程会对孟菲斯市未来的发展将起到积极的作用。（阳光报道）
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