Seb Coe and Tessa Jowell

[bill barlow]

Anybody else think it strange that Seb Coe and Tessa Jowell went on an Olympic fact finding mission to Barcelona?? China or Greece I could possibly understand, but Barcelona????.

[jake-the-peg]

Not really.

Apparently they studied Barcelona's bid in putting together the London Bid which was obviously sucessful.

Barcelona is also a showcase of where the games launced a regeneration that lasted long after the games finished. I think that was one of the main themes of the London bid.

http://www.24dash.com/communities/13099.htm

[jno]

jake's dead right: in terms of using the Olympics to trigger urban regeneration, Barcelona was a huge success (Sydney and Athens rather less so); so definitely the place to look at. I just hope they lessons they learnt can be put into practice.

[WoWo]

As jake-the-peg says, Barcelona was generally a succes and it would have been possible not only to have seen how the bid was made but also what the long terms effects were.

[netibiza]

Why not, Barcelona is a nice place this time of year.....

[bill barlow]

Yes jtp, they have already studied Barcelona, 2 trips that I am aware of during the bidding process, just seems like another "jolly" to me at our expense.

[johnizere]

Don't be cynical Bill, it's serious fun, I mean business, these fact finding trips, they have Seoul, Sydney, Rome, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Hawaii...well why not?....and Athens to get through yet. Now that's what I call hard graft, and they've only got another 6 years to go!

[Hammer Head]

When did Hawaii host the Olympic Games?

[johnizere]

I did add 'why not?........HH. (another nice place to go for the fact finders!)