St. Louis and the Olympics (Kansas City, Columbia: lease, theater, construction)

[Go4Gold]

If St. Louis were to make a bid for the Olympics in, lets say, 2024, do you think the metropolitan area would get behind and support the effort. That was one problem with both New York's and Chicago's previous bids was support. Only about half the people in Chicago supported the games near time of the 2016 announcement. Atlanta, meanwhile, had about 85% support for the games.

St. Louis would have to build very few venues and Metrolink would go past most possible facilities.

[aragx6]

I'm certain St. Louis would have to build many venues to host an Olympics. That would be a very expensive proposition.

That said, the good publicity alone would be reason enough for me to support it. Hard to say if others would feel the same way.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Although some of the main infrastructure is in place, if STL is really serious about a bid, they would have to build a new stadium for track and soccer as well as the ceremonies.

A velodrome would have to be built.
A swimming stadium would have to be built
A federations compliant rowing/canoe/kayak/Distant Swimming course would have to be built (Lake Saint Louis was the course for the Olympic Festival Games.
University Facilities could be used. Scott Trade, Edward Jones Dome and the Ballpark could be used as secondary stadiums
Forest Park for Cycling, Archery, Shooting, Maybe Equestrian.

[Go4Gold]

Below is a list of possible venues. Actually, the only new, permanent venues that would need to be build are an Olympic Stadium (converted to Rams stadium after games), a swimming complex at SLU, a new tennis stadium in Forest Park, and a rec center at Jefferson Barracks Park. All other venues would either be temporary or are already in place. The Rams lease for the EJD runs out after 2024 and I would be shocked if they would be back there in 2025. So either a new stadium would have to be built or the Rams are gone. So this makes perfect sense.

SPORT VENUE CAPACITY
Athletics Gateway Olympic Stadium 90,000
Archery Francis Field 7,000
Badminton America’s Center Hall 5 6,000
Basketball Edward Jones Dome [South End] 35,000
Family Arena (St. Charles, MO) 11,000
Beach Volleyball East Riverfront Arena (East St. Louis, IL) 15,000
Boxing Chaifetz Arena 10,000
Canoe/Kayak (Slalom) St. Francis River (Ironton, MO) 10,000
Canoe/Kayak (Sprint) Creve Coeur Lake (Creve Coeur, MO) 10,000
Cycling (BMX) Forest Park Cycling Center [Central Field] 8,000
Cycling (Mountain) West Tyson County Park 5,000
Cycling (Road) Pere Marquette State Park (Grafton, IL) [START] 5,000
Cahokia Mounds (Collinsville, IL) [FINISH] 10,000
Cycling (Track) Forest Park Cycling Center [Central Field] 8,000
Diving St. Louis University Olympic Aqua Center 15,000
Equestrian Fairmount Park (Collinsville, IL) 20,000
Fencing America’s Center Hall 5 6,000
Field Hockey St. Louis University Sports Center 15,000/5.000
Golf Bellerive Country Club (Town & Country, MO) 40,000
Gymnastics (Artistic) Edward Jones Dome [North End] 35,000
Gymnastics (Rhythmic) Edward Jones Dome [North End] 12,000
Handball America’s Center Hall 1 & 2 9,000
Scottrade Center [FINALS] 19,000
Judo St. Louis Armory 6,000
Marathon Francis Field to Olympic Stadium [MEN] 8,000/90,000
Francis Field to 1904 Olympics Route [WOMEN] 8,000
Marathon Swim St. Louis Riverfront 10,000
Modern Pentathlon Jefferson Barracks Parade Ground [Equestrian] 12,000
J.B. Recreation Center [Fencing and Swimming] 3,000/3,000
Jefferson Barracks Shooting Center [Shooting] 8,000
Jefferson Barracks Park [Cross Country] 5,000
Rowing Chain of Rocks Canal (Granite City, IL) 20,000
Alternate - Carlyle Lake (Carlyle, IL) 20,000
Rugby Sevens Busch Stadium 50,000
Soccer Faurot Field (Columbia, MO) 75,000
Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO) 81,425
Indianapolis Stadium (Indianapolis, IN) 70,000
Nashville Field (Nashville, TN) 70,000
Gateway Olympic Stadium [FINALS] 90,000
Sailing Carlyle Lake Sailing Center 20,000
Shooting Jefferson Barracks Shooting Center 8,000
Swimming St. Louis University Olympic Aqua Center 15,000
Synchronized Swimming St. Louis University Olympic Aqua Center 15,000
Table Tennis America’s Center Hall 5 6,000
Taekwondo St. Louis Armory 6,000
Tennis Dwight Davis Tennis Center 12,000/5,000/3,000
Triathlon St. Louis Riverfront 10,000
Volleyball Scottrade Center 20,000
Water Polo St. Louis University Olympic Aqua Center 5,000
Weightlifting Municipal Opera Theater 9,000
Wrestling America’s Center Hall 1 & 2 8,000

[DinsdalePirahna]

don't know about other federations , but the closest thing that Saint Louis has to a rowing/kayak/flatwater canoe course is Lake Saint Louis, and that would have to be dredged to a uniform depth. Creve Couer is too small.

Lake Carlysle or Chain of Rocks Canal may work.

Sailing may have to be moved to the Great lakes or Gulf of Mexico

[BoomBoxing]

^Wow is that your research? If so, kudos to you good sir/ma'am.

[DinsdalePirahna]

St. Louis 2024 Olympic Bid Committee | Facebook

[goodtimes89]

What about horseshoe lake? Much closer to the metro area than lake st. louis.

[goodtimes89]

Regarding St. Francois river for slalom kayaking. Unfortunately there is no whitewater in the summer. What would likely have to happen is construction of a small shallow channel off the Mississippi. That current channeled through a narrow course with boulders would make for some great rapids!

Regarding Mt. Biking: I assume when you refer to West Tyson, you mean the Chubb trail? Too wooded unfortunately for a spectator event. It needs to be open enough to televise and unfortunately Mt. Biking isn't that spectator friendly. Olympic mountain bike courses are usually mostly devoid of trees and don't resemble the environment most of us are riding in. But the general terrain is what's important. Atlantas Olympic mtb course was constructed on a landfill!

[jskirwin]

Hate to be a naysayer but... Nay.

St. Louis doesn't need to spend money to get publicity. There are plenty of other things the area could spend the money on that would have longer lasting effects than the "sugar rush" the Olympics would bring.