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Florida 2012 is confident it will make next month's cut to be a finalist in representing the U.S. in its bid to host the Summer Games.
By JOHN ROMANO
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 26, 2001
TAMPA -- One month from today, the United States Olympic Committee will announce the finalists for the U.S. bid for the 2012 Games.
Florida 2012 director Ed Turanchik did not want to guess on what cities will survive the cut, but his staff did reveal plans Tuesday for future work on the Olympic Village, the aquatics center, and an eco-sports complex for equestrian, mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking.
In other words, Tampa does not expect to close shop on Oct. 26.
"I would be very surprised if we were not included," Turanchik said. "I think we all would."
The USOC is expected to pare the field of eight contenders to four or five with the announcement in Salt Lake City. New York, Washington, Houston, Dallas, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and San Francisco are the other contenders. The finalists will revise their bids next year and the USOC is expected to choose the U.S. representative in November 2002.
The recent World Trade Center attack has led to suggestions that New York not only be rewarded by the USOC but also by the International Olympic Committee when the final decision is made in 2005.
Officials in Rome and Milan, two Italian cities that were preparing 2012 bids, said they would support a New York bid.
Turanchik said he understands the outpouring of support for New York, but emphasized the decision is too important to be ruled by emotion.
"This is a huge business decision," he said. "There will have been a lot of water over the dam between now and (2005)."
Turanchik also said the Tampa operation, should it be named the U.S. representative next year, would be willing to bid for 2016 if another city outside of North America wins in 2012.
"We are committed to going to 2016, but the battlefield right now is 2012," Turanchik said.