Anchorage, Alaska - competing with Salt Lake City to secure a U.S. bid for the 1998 Winter Olympics - established a public funding mechanism officials believe could provide up to $15 million for the Games, organizers said.
Anchorage's Municipal Assembly, or City Council, passed a resolution this week committing up to $15 million to build a bobsled-luge facility and speedskating rink, the Anchorage Organizing Committee said.The bobsled-luge and speedskating facilities must be built under a U.S. Olympic Committee requirement by the city chosen to represent the nation before the International Olympic Committee in 1991.
"This resolution shows we're willing and able to commit to building the facilities required by the USOC," Assembly Chairman Bill Faulkner said.
Last week Alaska legislators created the Winter Sports Training Facilities Reserve Account and appropriated $5 million to the reserve, to be used for planning and construction of winter sports facilities.
Utah Legislators created the Winter Games Authority, and Salt Lake organizers have budgeted $56 million in public money generated from the authority to go toward the Olympics.
Salt Lake City meets with representatives from Anchorage, Denver and Reno-Tahoe, Nev., June 4 in Des Moines, Iowa, to learn which city will be chosen by the USOC to carry the U.S. bid to the IOC.