ORDA submits proposal to host Olympic event in Lake Placid

LAKE PLACID | Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) submitted a proposal to host the 2026 Olympic sliding events at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Although the 2026 Olympics will take place in several locations in Northern Italy, there are a limited number of bobsled runs in the world. Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) CEO James McKenna told the Essex County Board of Supervisors the International Olympic Committee is not interested in building any more bobsled runs, so the Lake Placid facilities may have a chance. The event would bring about 720 bobsled, luge and skeleton competitors and support team members to the region. There is an Olympic Sliding Center in Innsbruck, Austria which is about 100 miles from Northern Italy. However, McKenna said they are asking for payment to host the events, while ORDA's proposal offers to host it for free. "At the very minimum it's generated international publicity all over," he said. "If it happens, we'll have a manageable Olympic event in our county. Chances of it happening are quite slim." Chairman Shaun Gillilland pointed out that when McKenna first started talking about the FISU World University games he also said the chances were "slim." The International Olympic Committee is set to decide on a location in January.

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ORDA submits proposal to host Olympic event in Lake Placid

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