The California Winter Games Committee announced a partnership between political, business and community leaders to explore ways to attract the worldwide spectacle to the Sierra for the first time since Squaw Valley hosted the games in 1960.
The committee said bringing the Olympics to Lake Tahoe would bring enormous economic benefit to hub cities like Sacramento.
The California committee will join forces with the Reno-Tahoe Winter Games Coalition to promote both states as combined hosts.
“We believe California needs a strong statewide effort to match up with the knowledge and resources from Nevada to create a unique, carefully constructed and economically feasible plan,” said Michael Faust, interim president of the California Winter Games Committee.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson calls the opportunity a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
State Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, points to the thousands of jobs and improvements that would be made for the Olympics.
“Millions of dollars would be pumped into the local economy, a legacy of infrastructure improvements would be left behind, and the world’s attention would be focused on our majestic Sierra Nevada region,” Gaines said.
Organizers point to the newly expanded Sacramento International Airport as just one of the many assets the region has to offer.
The first deadline to enter the running for the games comes in the spring of 2012 when the committee will need to submit a statement of interest.
A host city will not be announced until the summer of 2015.
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