Guadalajara is out ...
According to several news reports coming out of Mexico, the Mexican Swimming Federation has pulled out of hosting the 2017 World Aquatic Championships in Guadalajara from July 15-30, 2017.
But hosting it in the US is apparently impossible ...
USA Swimming’s Executive Director, Chuck Wielgus, expressed ... "We would love to host a long course world championships in the United States, but the economic requirements make it impossible for us to seriously consider." ... The estimated $80 million price tag ... is certainly the event's biggest detraction.Wow, $80 million?
With only a little over two years to go, it'll be interesting to see what happens. Will some oil-rich petroeconomy like Qatar pick up the tab? Or will FINA blink first, and cut back on the (apparently exceedingly lavish) requirements?
In any case, if you were thinking about going to Guadalajara ... nope. Hopefully it'll be moved to somewhere accessible (i.e. not Kazan again).
In the beginning, it was obvious that tying the World Masters Championships to the regular World Championships was an attempt to sweeten the pot for the hosts. Imagine all those old people spending millions of dollars in your lovely city ...
In the here & now, it's obvious that wasn't enough for Mexico. (Also too, the USA.)
In the future, it looks like we'll be tied forever to whatever city is willing to put up the bucks to host the FINA officialdom in the manner to which they've become accustomed. Alas. Hopefully at least some of the venues will be reasonable. Hamberg or Berlin, mentioned upthread, would be grand.
it is one thing to host the elite fina world championships.
it is an entirely bigger kind of monster to host the usms world championships. the requirements just for pool space takes many great (single racing pool) sites out of the equation.
80 million??? !!! ok who doesnt get 1st class airfare and 5 star hotels with that kind of budget?
That makes sense.
The Palace of Pools ... will consist of an indoor 50 meter competition pool, an indoor warm up pool, an outdoor 50 meter pool, leisure pools, an entertainment centre and the FINA Market Street.
swimswam.com/.../
