NEW YORK — The champagne was on ice in Bryant Park on Tuesday before the Olympic finalists for 2012 were announced — a sign New York organizers felt certain the city was in. No one was disappointed.
"We are flattered, we are humbled," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a midtown Manhattan gathering celebrating the city's selection as one of five finalists. "We couldn't be happier."
Bloomberg was surrounded by aspiring Olympic athletes and past U.S. gold medalists, including 1968 long jump winner Bob Beamon and swimmer Janet Evans, a winner in three Olympics ending in 1996.
Also on hand was Gov. George Pataki, who predicted the city would prevail over London, Madrid, Moscow and Paris when the host city is selected in July 2005.
"Nowhere in the world is there a city as organized and prepared for 2012," Pataki told a crowd at the party thrown by NYC2012, the city organizing committee.
Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff, who has led the city's effort, said that in the next stage of the competition organizers will tout plans to build an Olympic village comprised of shimmering glass high-rises across the East River from the United Nations. The city, with the most diverse population among the finalists, would "feel like a second home" to visiting athletes, he said.
The city's bid also hinges on approval of a proposed stadium for the far West Side of Manhattan, which would anchor the games and become the home for the New York Jets. The Jets have proposed spending $800 million in private funds for the venue, with New York City and state spending $300 million each for a retractable roof and a platform over existing rail yards.
Bloomberg has predicted that winning the games would create 125,000 jobs and put $1 billion into the local economy. On Tuesday, he also cited polls showing 70 percent of New Yorkers favor hosting the Olympics.
"For New York City, that's virtually 100 percent," he said.