2016 Worlds - potential US bid?

[manhn]

The NHL makes their schedule for the upcoming season after the end of the current season. They have the schedules of each city's arenas, so they know when to and when not to set a home game. So, the NHL would know in advance that the arena is booked due to a concert or skating event or whatever. That would mean an extended road trip for that team.

[Lilith11]

Best idea yet! New York City Has JFK and Newark International, the MTA Subway system, and good 'ol fashioned NYC hospitality.

[Sassafras]

My preferences would be an arena in walking distance from hotels (San Jose for instance was great), decent airport and warm climate.

Or Colorado Springs because barring a snowstorm it's one hour from my driveway to the World Arena

[euterpe]

Best idea yet! New York City Has JFK and Newark International, the MTA Subway system, and good 'ol fashioned NYC hospitality.

Never happen---much too expensive. No NYC arena would book Worlds with a semifilled house when it can host basketball, hockey or rock concerts with full houses. The NYC subway is very expensive: $2.50 for a one-way ride. Riding the subway during the rush hour (6-9 am M-F) is a grueling experience; trains are packed to the doors and it's hard to get on and off. Decent NYC hotels run upwards of $200 a night.

[manhn]

$2.50 for a one-way subway ride is expensive?

Holiday Inn in Chinatown for $150 per nite, FTW!

[A.H.Black]

From the original post -

US Figure Skating issued a RFP for any US cities interested in hosting the 2016 World Figure Skating Championships. The RFP indicated any bids should be submitted by Feb 15, with the evaluation taking place right now. US Figure Skating would then confirm their selection in early April and make the formal submission to the ISU on April 15. Any word on which cities submitted bids to US Figure Skating?

I think there is a good chance that Salt Lake may have submitted a bid. There is a strong, organized, effort to make sure Olympic facilities are kept busy and useful. Worlds could be at the Maverick Center (formerly the "E" center) where Olympic Hockey was located. That arena is 12,000 seats and has great views for ice events.

The Senior B event last September was very successful, and several of the competitors there went on to have a very successful year. The organizers of that event are ambitious to hold more and bigger events in the area.

[ilovesalchows]

The trains and busses in Portland are $2.50 each way now, and there are no more free train rides.

I vote for somewhere warm. What about San Diego?

[euterpe]

Salt Lake City is at altitude: 4327'--bad for asthmatics. Not good for aging couch potatoes either.

San Diego sounds great to me!

[dots]

The US had the lead up to Vancouver, would they be given another?

Why not? 2017 would mark eight years since the last time the US hosted worlds. That's enough time in between to make it count.

[dots]

Salt Lake City?? What a bore...

It obviously needs to be held in California as it will attract bigger and more diverse crowds. Plus we gave the world skaters like Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Rudy Galindo, Kristi Yamaguchi, etc...etc...

It's time for the USFSA to pay up!!!

[Vagabond]

This is untrue. World Arena is a private organization that rents out meeting and event space. USFS would have to pay to rent the World Arena.

Thank you for the correction.

Has this always been the case? I have some recollection of some ISU Championship being held there because the USFSA did not have to pay rent. But if that did happen, perhaps there was a special one-time arrangement.

ETA:

I just looked at the World Arena's website.

The City of Colorado Springs is currently being targeted for both car break-ins and home break-ins. The World Arena has also been experiencing some vehicle break-ins. This situation is not unique to the World Arena.. .and it is not just cars ..every business that has a parking lot is experiencing an increase in these incidents. In response, we have formed a World Arena neighborhood watch with area businesses to increase communications and to work toward solutions.

We do know that these are not amateur criminals. These are professional teams that know what to look for. They know our patterns: when events are scheduled, arrivals and departures.

http://www.worldarena.com/



Lake Placid, anyone?

[Rob]

San Diego would be great.

[Whitneyskates]

Honolulu

[BittyBug]

San Diego would be indeed be fantastic. They have that ginormous convention center right on the waterfront, too.

[dots]

The more I think about it, the more I'm convince it needs to be held in California. So many cities could host a wonderful and potential profitable worlds:


San Jose
Sacramento
San Diego
Los Angeles
San Francisco (perhaps)

I mean so many world class facilities that are waiting for an opportunity.

Honolulu

Wow... have they ever hosted a figure skating comp before?

[Vagabond]

San Francisco (perhaps)

There isn't anywhere within the city limits that could host it. There are plans for a basketball arena on the waterfront, but even if construction goes forward, the facility won't be open in time. There is a suitable arena in Oakland, right across the Bay, that hosted Worlds in 1992.

[kwanfan1818]

Here is another vote for Phoenix.

The Jobing.com arena or the AT&T arena may be better for practice. Actually Jobing.com arena is better than US Airways center, but it is not easily accessible. USAC is centrally located, with lots of hotels, restaurants, etc. The weather is gorgeous, and Phoenix is easily accessible by air.

Phoenix in March would rock. There are hotels and restaurants all along light rail, in both directions of the main arena, including a number of medium-large ones within a 10 minute walk of where the airport shuttle drops off at the airport light rail station, in addition to the three or four big business hotels within a 10-minute walk of the arena. Light rail goes into Tempe and Mesa outside of Phoenix proper, and a day transit pass is $4.00, the cost of a round-trip, or $20 for seven days.

[dinakt]

San Diego is dreamy, and March is extra- gorgeous with desert in bloom. Ocean, seals and pelicans, health restaurants galore ( no complaining allowed), walkable ... am crawling off to dream of Worlds...
San Jose, Phoenix, Chicago, Washington or Boston all sound good as well. It has to have good International airport, preferably with direct flights to major cities World-wide, and a city that is international- tourist- friendly.

[RobinA]

Philadelphia? One can wish.

That would be a dream come true.

[Bosha]

Detroit would be good but isn't the Joe Louis Arena in a really dodgy part of town? Where would the practices be held? I went to an event at the Palace at Auburn Hills near Pontiac but that is 25 or more miles from Detroit and the ice was terrible...melting on one end of the rink.

The older hockey/basketball arena, Cobo Hall, is next door and still available. Cobo was used as the practice ice for the 1994 Nationals, and was the location of the "Whack Heard 'Round the World." I'm not sure if anyone in figure skating really wants to use such an infamous venue, however.