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A senior Florida official is currently lobbying the International Olympic Committee to transfer the upcoming Games to his state if they are canceled in Tokyo.
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis wrote to the IOC on Monday asking the organization to move the 2021 Games – which had already been postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic – to Florida if they were canceled or rescheduled.
He cited a recent report that Japanese officials had already decided to cancel the Games entirely due to the coronavirus, even though the IOC completely denied the accuracy of that report.
“There is still time to deploy a site selection team to Florida to meet with local and national officials on hosting the Olympics in the Sunshine State,” Patronis wrote. “I would love to have the opportunity to introduce Florida and help you make the right contacts to make it happen.”
Patronis argued that “Florida’s large hotel capacity and well-maintained transportation network” could enable it to successfully hold the Games, and that there are “12 major universities with existing sports facilities.”
“I think most importantly, however, we have a state with leaders who are willing to do this,” Patronis wrote.
Could Florida logistically organize the 2021 Olympics?
No.
Not only is the IOC committed to hosting the Games in Tokyo – and has repeatedly said there is no “plan B” in place for another location – but the Olympics are expected to start in about six months. month. Planning a world event within this time frame is almost certainly impossible.
It would also require the full support of the federal government to do that, and even then it would be very, very unlikely.
Or, as Holy Cross economist and Olympic impact economist Victor Matheson put it, Patronis’ plan is “crazy.”
“The idea that just because Florida has a lot of hotels, they could host an entire Olympic event in six months is absolutely crazy,” Matheson told The Huffington Post.
The other big problem that Matheson points out is, of course, the coronavirus.
Not only does the United States lead the rest of the world in confirmed cases and deaths, Florida has recorded the third highest number of cases among any state in the country, according to the New York Times. The state has repeatedly been a hotspot for the virus and has often ignored or failed to enforce necessary social distancing rules and other precautions.
From a coronavirus perspective, Matheson said, hosting the Games in Florida would be “unbelievably stupid.”
“Let’s be honest here: if Tokyo isn’t safe enough due to COVID to host the event, there is no way in a million years that Florida will be safe enough to host the event,” he said via the Huffington Post. “It just means that Tokyo actually cares whether they want a big-ticket event in their city, unlike Florida.”
Is the IOC even looking to move the Olympic Games to Tokyo?
No.
While Matheson and other Florida officials can discuss their ability to host the Games as much as they want, this is the most important part of the puzzle.
The IOC is moving forward with the Tokyo Olympics.
“We have no reason to believe at the moment that the Tokyo Olympic Games will not open on July 23 in the Tokyo Olympic Stadium,” IOC President Thomas Bach told Kyodo News last week. . “This is why there is no Plan B, and this is why we are fully committed to making these Games safe and successful.”
Now, the Olympics could end up being postponed or canceled for a number of reasons. Japan is currently experiencing a new peak in coronavirus cases, and a January poll found that 77% of Japanese citizens are in favor of canceling or rescheduling the Games.
At this point, however, any discussion of rescheduling is premature.
“We have not received any information to suggest that the Games will not go as planned, and we are still focusing on the health and preparation of Team USA’s athletes ahead of the Games this summer,” the USA team said. in a statement last week.
While there is a lot of doubt about the next Olympics, one thing is clear: Florida will not host them, no matter how much officials try.
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