Queens Tribune

We want the 2012 Summer Olympics to be held in New York City.

We want our city to be placed on the international stage. We want to reap the economic benefits of the world-class sporting event. We want improved infrastructure and facilities. And we love the games!

The question at hand is, what’s the best way to bring the Olympics here to our city?

Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff seems to think that his current plan, which includes building the centerpiece Olympic stadium on the West Side of Manhattan, is the only answer.

Opponents of the current NYC2012 plan say the plan is too costly and too complicated. They say the plan does not use existing facilities adequately, and is inefficient as a result.

The biggest change those opponents would make to the plan is to move the Olympic stadium to Queens – Willets Point, to be specific.

As the paper of record in Queens, that sounds like a great idea to us. Our borough hosting the opening ceremonies and track and field events of the 2012 Olympics – what could be better than Queens, the most diverse place on earth, going for the gold?

But as great as the idea has always seemed to us, we wonder if it is a real possibility or just a pipedream that could create dissent and actually hurt our chances of winning the Olympics.

An unrealistic dream is not something that we would support, even if it would propel Queens into the spotlight — the games, and the City are just too important for that.
In public statements, New York Jets officials have not closed the door on Queens.

Alternatively and in the spirit of the new more modest Olympic movement, Shea Stadium could be revamped into a world-class facility at a fraction of the cost of a new stadium. Willets Point already has the transportation infrastructure, a stadium and might we suggest, already has community support.

We want what’s best for this city, not just this borough. And sadly, we are not yet convinced that the planners of the Olympic bid view the City in totality and have truly looked at Queens as a potential Stadium site or for that matter, other existing Metro area facilities as alternative venues for some of the events. Setting their plan in stone as early as they have, does a disservice to our borough, our city and the entire Olympic movement. To go for the gold, we want to keep costs down and win the Olympic bid. An open and honest public airing of differences is essential to the process.

To those at the head of NYC2012, we say: let the dialogue begin.