- THE 1976 GAMES WERE AN ATTEMPT TO BRING DENVER TO THE WORLD STAGE.

THIS WAS VERY UNIQUE THOUGH, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IT NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

THE WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES WERE RECRUITED AND PROMOTED BY A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO JUST ASSUMED THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD LOVE THE IDEA.

- THEY WERE SAYING THERE'S HARDLY ANY SNOW HERE AND WE DON'T WANT IT IN OUR BACKYARD.

THIS IS A 10 DAY EVENT.

AND I THINK IT'S WRONG TO THINK THAT IT REPRESENTS A VERY MAJOR THREAT.

- WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE STATE SAYING IT'S TOO LATE FOR THE PEOPLE TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HOW THEIR TAXPAYERS SPENT, MAYBE THAT MOVES BEYOND SMUG.

- AND THAT ELECTION THEN BECOMES THE FOCAL POINT OF THE FIGHT OVER THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE FUTURE OF COLORADO.

- YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY, BUT YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S DIFFERENT TODAY.

I STILL BELIEVE THIS IS THE GREATEST WINTER SPORTS AREA IN THE WORLD THAT'S YET TO HOST AN OLYMPIC GAMES.

I THINK SKIING IS A FANTASTIC SPORT.

IT'S REFRESHING.

EXHILARATING.

I'M CINDY NELSON, ALPINE SKIER.

I COMPETED IN THE '76 AND ‘84 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES.

THROUGH MY OLYMPIC EXPERIENCES I CAN SEE THE TRUE OLYMPIC SPIRIT.

WHEN THE OLYMPICS HAPPEN, IT REALLY COMES THROUGH.

- THERE'S PROBABLY NOT AN OLYMPIC SPORT THAT OCCURS, ESPECIALLY ON THE WINTER SIDE, THAT WE'RE NOT ALREADY HOSTING SIMILAR EVENTS IN COLORADO.

- GOING FOR THAT FRONT 7—.

- THERE WE GO.

- WHETHER THAT'S SNOWBOARDING EVENTS, HALFPIPE EVENTS, WORLD CUP EVENTS, WE'RE DOING IT ALREADY NOW.

- LINE'S GOOD.

- AND IF WE WANT TO BE A WORLD CLASS CITY, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO BE ON THE WORLD STAGE.

- THIS IS REALLY COOL, I THINK.

THE 1976 GAMES WERE AN ATTEMPT TO BRING DENVER TO THE WORLD STAGE.

MY NAME IS JIM GODDARD.

I'M A LONGTIME FAN OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND A COLLECTOR AND HISTORIAN OF THE MODERN OLYMPICS AS WELL.

DENVER IN PARTICULAR HAS HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITY OVER MANY, MANY YEARS IN TERMS OF BIDDING FOR THE OLYMPICS, THE EARLIEST BEING IN 1932.

SO IT'S HAD A LONG HISTORY OF CONSIDERING THE GAMES.

- IN THE 40S, YOU HAD A GROUP, LARGELY THE BROADMOOR AND ASPEN, THAT WANTED TO BRING THE OLYMPICS TO COLORADO AND DIDN'T GO THROUGH, BUT THAT PLANTED THE SEED AND SO YOU HAD A SUCCESSION OF PEOPLE PUTTING IN BIDS.

IT WASN'T UNTIL THE 60S WHEN WE SEE THE SKI INDUSTRY, PARTICULARLY VAIL, INVESTING HEAVILY IN THE OLYMPICS.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE MOST FROM DEVELOPMENTS, THE MOST FROM INFLUX OF TOURISM DOLLARS.

GOVERNOR LOVE, A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR OF COLORADO, HE SEES THIS AS AN EXTENSION OF HIS POLICIES OF SELLING COLORADO.

THE OLYMPICS WE'RE STARTING TO SEE AS AN ECONOMIC BOOM TO THE STATE, AS A WAY TO INCREASE MONEY FLOWING INTO THE STATE, INCREASE TOURISM, INCREASE BUSINESS, AND SO THAT SYNERGY BETWEEN REALLY THE SKI INDUSTRY AND POLITICS IS REALLY WHAT KIND OF COMBINED TO GET THE OLYMPIC BID GOING IN IN THE LATE 1960S.

- A BID FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES CAN BE SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED.

THIS IS A TREMENDOUS INTERNATIONAL EVENT IN WHICH YOU'RE BASICALLY CREATING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR MULTIPLE SPORTS ALL AT THE SAME TIME IN THE SAME PLACE.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A VENUE FOR A BOBSLED OR A LUGE OR FOR A CROSS COUNTRY TRACK?

WHAT HOTEL ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE?

WHERE WILL THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE BE?

WHAT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION TO DENVER?

HOW EASY IS THAT?

THERE WERE DESIGNERS THAT HAD TO PUT TOGETHER A THEME AND A PRESENTATION BOOK TO THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE.

- SO THESE WERE THE DATA BOOKS THAT WERE GIVEN TO THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AS PART OF THE DENVER BID.

I'M DOCTOR MICHAEL CHILDERS.

I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORIAN OF THE AMERICAN WEST AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY.

WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IN HERE ARE A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY AND ITS ARTS, SO IT'S A SNAPSHOT OF COLORADO WRIT LARGE AND HOW IT WOULD SELL ITSELF TO THE WORLD.

-THE WEST, THE WILD WEST, SOMETHING UNIQUE, VERY AMERICAN, AND OF COURSE THEY MADE FILMS TO SHOW OFF DENVER AND, AND THE MOUNTAINS.

- THE DENVER OLYMPIC STORY STARTS IN A LAND OF OLYMPIAN PROPORTIONS, THE AMERICAN WEST.

NESTLED AGAINST THE GREAT ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANGE LIES THE CITY OF DENVER, UNITED STATES CANDIDATE FOR HOST CITY TO THE 1976 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES.

- DENVER HAD TO COMPETE AGAINST VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA IN CANADA, SION IN SWITZERLAND, A CITY IN FINLAND, AND SO YOU NEEDED TO HAVE A LOT OF NETWORKING.

THE DENVER ORGANIZING COMMITTEE DID THEIR BEST TO TRY TO DO THAT.

THEY HOSTED SOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO COME TO COLORADO AND SEE THE GRANDEUR OF THE ROCKIES.

AND THEN EVENTUALLY, DENVER WAS THROUGH VOTING OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE WAS SUCCESSFUL.

THIS IS KIND OF COOL.

IT'S IN GREAT CONDITION.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF REVENUE THAT GOES TO AN OLYMPICS IS RETAIL SALES.

SO THERE WAS THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE BEGINNING TO POSITION THEMSELVES TO BE ABLE TO SELL ITEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DENVER OLYMPICS.

HERE'S A BOLO TIE.

THIS IS AN ASHTRAY WITH, YOU KNOW, A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN PUT YOUR CIGARETTE BUTT OR YOUR STOGIE.

IT REALLY SPEAKS TO THAT TO THAT PERIOD.

THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THIS IS THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE SAPPORO GAMES AND YOU CAN SEE THE JAPANESE FLAG, THE GREEK FLAG, AND THEN THE UNITED STATES FLAG BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE THE NEXT OLYMPICS, THE NEXT WINTER OLYMPICS WERE GOING TO BE HELD AND IT SAYS WE MEET NEXT IN DENVER '76.

SO EVERYONE WAS PLANNING ON AN OLYMPICS IN DENVER.

- EVERYTHING ABOUT HAVING AN OLYMPICS ON HOME SOIL WAS REALLY INTRIGUING.

WE WOULD HAVE HAD SOME ADVANTAGES ON OUR SIDE.

THE SLOPES HERE ARE GREAT FOR MY TYPE OF SKIING.

WE'RE ON HOME SOIL.

WE HAVE A HOME CROWD.

WE'RE IN OUR NATURAL TIME ZONES.

WHAT OUR BODIES LIKE, YOU KNOW.

- I DO REMEMBER THAT I WAS KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT IT TO START WITH.

SO I KIND OF THOUGHT THIS IS A BIG DEAL, AND THEN PEOPLE STARTED LOOKING AT IT AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS STARTED SAYING WAIT A MINUTE, AND THEN THEY LOOKED AT HOW IT HAD BEEN PRESENTED AND HOW THEY HAD GOTTEN IT.

- THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GAMES COMES AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN RECRUITED AND PROMOTED BY A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO JUST ASSUMED THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD LOVE THE IDEA OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

- I BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR LOVE AND MAYOR MCNICHOLS WERE REALLY WANTING THIS COMMUNITY TO THRIVE.

THEY WANTED TO PUT COLORADO ON THE MAP, BUT, IT WAS SETTING THEMSELVES UP FOR SOME MISTAKES AND PERHAPS SOME EMBARRASSMENT AS WELL.

- DENVER SOLD ITSELF THOUGH TO THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, WHO STILL BELIEVED IN THE SMALL SCALE GAMES AS A MOUNTAIN TOWN.

YEAH, SO THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN FROM CITY PARK LOOKING WEST TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINS, AND THIS PHOTOGRAPH IN PARTICULAR REALLY SOLD DENVER AS A WINTER OLYMPIC VENUE.

IT GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT DENVER IS A CITY IN THE MOUNTAINS AS OPPOSED TO ON THE PLAINS.

DENVER WAS STILL A FAIR PIECE AWAY FROM SKIABLE TERRAIN.

THIS WAS GOING TO FORCE THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO BUILD SKI AREAS MUCH FURTHER AWAY FROM THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE THAN THEY HAD EVER BEEN BEFORE.

SO THIS IS MOUNT SNIKTAU, WHICH WAS THE PROPOSED VENUE FOR THE MEN'S DOWNHILL, THE WOMEN'S DOWNHILL, AND THE MEN'S GIANT SLALOM.

THESE WERE THE PROPOSED COURSES THAT THEY WOULD HAVE CUT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, AND THEN THE PROPOSED SKI LIFTS, TWO OF THEM.

BUT IT WAS DEEMED TO BE TOO WINDY ON THE TOP AND NOT A GOOD ENOUGH TERRAIN FOR LONG TERM SKIING.

BOTH THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE INTERNATIONAL SKI ASSOCIATION DEEMED IT UNVIABLE, AND THEY MOVED ON TO OTHER VENUES.

YOU KNOW, WINTER PARK WAS SUGGESTED, STEAMBOAT WAS SUGGESTED.

STEAMBOAT WAS WAY TOO FAR.

WINTER PARK WAS TOO HIGH IN ELEVATION, AND THEN THERE WAS A VAIL.

BUT BEAVER CREEK AND VAIL ARE SEVERAL HOURS AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN DENVER, AND THIS IS REALLY GOING TO STRETCH THE IDEA OF WHAT THE OLYMPICS IS A SMALL VILLAGE WELL BEYOND WHAT WAS REALLY ACCEPTABLE BY THE IOC.

AND BY THAT POINT IN TIME, NEWS SLOWLY DRIPPED OUT THAT EVERGREEN WAS GOING TO BE THE SITE OF THE CROSS COUNTRY EVENTS AND THE TOBOGGAN EVENTS AND THE BOBSLED EVENTS AND THE SKI JUMPING EVENTS, AND IN FACT, THE CROSS COUNTRY SKI COURSE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ROUTED RIGHT THROUGH THE GYMNASIUM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

SO THE PEOPLE IN EVERGREEN CREATE A GROUP CALLED PROTECT OUR MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT OR POME, P O M E. A LOT OF THE ORGANIZERS WERE REALLY INCENSED THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE TO THEM INSTEAD OF WITH THEM.

LIKE THEY HAD NEVER BEEN ASKED, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE THE OLYMPIC GAMES?

- AND THEY WERE SAYING THERE'S HARDLY ANY SNOW HERE AND WE DON'T WANT IT IN OUR BACKYARD AND ALL THESE PLACES SAID OH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS HERE AND THIS HERE, THEY WERE SAYING WE DON'T WANT IT, WE DON'T WANT IT.

- THAT SORT OF ANGER THEN LED TO QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST AND WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

- THE UNITED STATES AT THAT TIME WAS ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTRIES, MAYBE THE ONLY COUNTRY.

THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BACKING THE OLYMPICS, SO LOCAL TAXES WOULD NEED TO BE USED.

THE TOTAL BUDGET, WHICH IS FASCINATING TO LOOK AT, I THINK IS AROUND $13,700,000 STATE AND LOCAL SOURCES ONLY $350,000 NOT A HUGE PART OF THE REVENUE BUDGET, BUT SIGNIFICANT IN ITS REPRESENTATION OF THE SUPPORT OF THE GAMES.

- COLORADO HAS BEEN A VERY TAX ADVERSE STATE FROM ITS INCEPTION IN THE 19TH CENTURY.

AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES ARE NOT CHEAP JUST BECAUSE IT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD NEW STADIUMS, NEW HOTELS, NEW VENUES, AND THEN HOST PEOPLE.

IF THAT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH, THERE ACTUALLY ALSO WAS, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL PRICE TAG WAS GOING TO BE, SO THAT MISTRUST, ALONG WITH NOT WANTING TO SEE THE COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT AND RUINATION OF THEIR MOUNTAIN HOME AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT KIND OF COALESCED INTO THIS RIGHTEOUS ANGER.

- THIS IS A 10 DAY EVENT.

AND WITH NOT ALL THAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.

- ONE DAY I WAS WATCHING TV AND I BELIEVE IT WAS GOVERNOR LOVE AT THE TIME CAME ON AND SAID IT'S TOO LATE TO HAVE A VOTE ON THIS ISSUE.

THERE'S NO TIME.

THERE'S NO TIME FOR THE CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED.

THAT RAISED MY HACKLES.

THIS WAS A BUMPER STICKER THAT WE USED EFFECTIVELY AND EXPRESSES THE DESIRE FOR VOTERS TO VOTE YES TO STOP THE OLYMPICS.

HI, I'M TOM NUSSBAUM.

I WORK WITH CITIZENS FOR COLORADO'S FUTURE, ALSO KNOWN AS CCF.

CITIZENS FOR COLORADO'S FUTURE DID NOT OPPOSE THE GAMES PER SE.

IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF HOW WERE THEY PLANNED AND WHO WAS GOING TO PAY FOR THEM.

IT NEVER SEEMED AS IF THEY WOULD EVER COME TO A FINAL AMOUNT IT WAS GOING TO COST THE STATE AND THE CITY.

WE CAN'T TELL YOU IF IT'S GOING TO BE.

15 MILLION, 30 MILLION, 90 MILLION, AND FOLKS AFTER A WHILE CAN'T FOOL THEM ALL THE TIME.

THEY JUST SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE, WE'RE BEING FORCED TO DO THIS AND WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE FACTS AND THE FACTS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO US DON'T NECESSARILY ADD UP.

- OUR MAJOR POINT IS THAT HOSTING THE OLYMPICS HAS BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE FOR A SMALL STATE LIKE COLORADO.

- THE KEY FIGURE THAT COMES TO OUT OF A LOT OF THIS IS DICK LAMM.

AND HE AT THAT TIME IS A STATE LEGISLATURE, AND HE REALLY SEIZES HOLD OF THE OLYMPIC ISSUE AND SEEING IT NOT ONLY IS IT COSTING TOO MUCH, BUT ALSO THEY ARE GOING TO COST COLORADO WHAT MAKES COLORADO SPECIAL.

- OK, THIS WAS OUR FIRST ELECTION.

THAT WAS INAUGURAL.

ME AND DICK.

MY NAME IS DOTTIE LAMM AND I WAS MARRIED TO DICK LAMM FOR 58 YEARS.

THIS WAS THE TIME OF THE OLYMPICS.

THIS IS WHEN WE WERE JUST GETTING STARTED IN POLITICS.

HE WAS A REALLY TYPE A PERSON TO THE POINT IT WAS VERY INVIGORATING.

IT WAS VERY EXCITING.

IT WAS EXCITING FOR ME.

AND SO WHEN HE SAW SOMETHING, HE REALLY WENT AFTER IT.

- HE COULD BE VERY INTENSE, VERY SMART, VERY FOCUSED.

YOU COULD SEE PEOPLE BEING DRAWN TO HIM BECAUSE OF HIS ENERGY AND HIS COMMITMENT TO WHAT HE BELIEVED IN.

- HE SAYS HE REALLY NEVER HAD REALLY GOOD ACCOUNTING SKILLS, BUT HE HAD GOOD ENOUGH ONES TO FIGURE OUT THAT THE OLYMPICS WERE GOING TO CHEAT THE TAXPAYERS.

ONCE HE REALIZED WHAT A BIG FINANCIAL FIASCO IT WOULD BE, THAT HE WOULD START WITH, LOOK AT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO COST, AND FOR THE GLORY OF THE OLYMPICS, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.

- SO FOR SOME FOLKS IT WAS THE MONEY, FOR SOME FOLKS IT WAS THE ENVIRONMENT.

EACH ONE WAS A SELLING POINT TO A DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCY.

- SO WE HAD THIS COALITION OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY WOULDN'T MAYBE HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER ON A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS, THE PEOPLE WHO WORRIED ABOUT THEIR OWN TOWN, AND THEN THE TAXPAYERS AND IT JUST SWELLED, YOU KNOW, IT JUST MOVED.

- THAT COALITION ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER KIND OF GROUPS END UP GETTING ON THE BALLOT TWO ISSUES.

ONE IS TO NOT HAVE THE CITY OF DENVER PAY FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES, AND ONE IS TO HAVE THE STATE OF COLORADO NOT PAY FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

- THIS WAS A HANDOUT THAT WE PRODUCED AT VERY LITTLE COST REMINDING PEOPLE TO VOTE YES.

YOU HAVE TO VOTE YES BUT I DONT WANT THE OLYMPICS TO COME HERE NO, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO VOTE YES BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT VOTING ON WHETHER YOU LIKE THE OLYMPICS OR WHETHER THEY'RE COMING HERE.

WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT TAX MONEY.

WE'RE NOT SAYING WE DON'T LIKE THE OLYMPICS.

WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS THAT IT'S A QUESTION OF WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THESE GAMES.

NO OLYMPIC TAXES.

SAVE YOUR MONEY.

SAVE YOUR MOUNTAINS.

STOP THE OLYMPICS.

- AND ONCE IT GOT ON THE BALLOT, WE PRETTY MUCH WERE SURE WE WERE GOING TO WIN THAT.

THERE HAD BEEN A HUGE MOMENTUM BUILT BY THEN AND A HUGE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WERE INVESTED AND OTHER PEOPLE WERE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE.

THERE WAS A GOAL TO ACCOMPLISH, AND IT WAS THEN ACCOMPLISHED.

THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WERE ALL INVOLVED IN, WHETHER IT WAS ANTI-VIETNAM, WHETHER IT WAS PRO-FEMINISM, WHETHER IT WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN GENERAL, IT KEPT GOING ON AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP GOING ON.

SO I THINK THERE WAS A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT THOSE OTHER MOVEMENTS DIDN'T GIVE.

- JUST HAPPY AS COULD BE.

YOU DON'T GET A 60 TO 40 VOTE UNLESS FOLKS HAVE REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, AND THE YES AND NO THING COULD BE CONFUSING, SO WE FELT AS IF ALL OUR EFFORTS HAD BEEN UM HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED AND THAT THE PEOPLE HAD SPOKEN.

THEY HAD SPOKEN OVERWHELMINGLY THAT THIS WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

- OK, NOW, THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE BACK HERE THAT I, OH, HERE WE ARE.

THIS, I LOVE THIS PICTURE.

SO THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SUPPORTERS VICTORY CEREMONY LOCATION.

THEY'RE PROMOTING COLORADANS FOR THE 1976 OLYMPICS AND LIGHT THE OLYMPIC TORCH AND A LONE WOMAN HOLDING A COUPLE OF BALLOONS LOOKING AT THE CHALKBOARD AND REALIZING THAT THE DREAM WAS GONE.

- THEN DENVER BECOMES THE FIRST HOST CITY EVER AWARDED THE OLYMPIC GAMES TO HAVE TO RETURN INTO THE IOC TO REJECT THEM, AND IT REMAINS TRUE THROUGH TODAY.

- THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE HAD TO GO BACK TO THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE WITH ITS TAIL BETWEEN ITS LEGS AND SAY, I'M SORRY, WE CAN'T DO THIS.

YOU'VE GOT TO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO IT.

THEY WENT BACK TO INNSBRUCK, WHICH HAD HOSTED THE GAMES IN 1964, AND SO IT MADE IT MUCH SIMPLER FOR THOSE ‘76 GAMES TO HAPPEN IN JUST A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD.

- PEOPLE WERE ASKING ME HOW I FELT ABOUT INNSBRUCK AND I FELT GREAT ABOUT INNSBRUCK, BUT I HAD THIS TWINGE INSIDE WHY DIDN'T COLORADO WANT IT?

SO I HAVE A SCRAPBOOK FROM 1976 AND MUCH OF IT IS OLYMPIC STUFF.

THIS SAYS INNSBRUCK PERFECT OLYMPICS SETTING.

DENVER VOTED IT DOWN.

YOU KNOW, AS AN ATHLETE I'M LIKE BLINDERS ON WHEREVER YOU CHOOSE TO PUT THE OLYMPICS, I'M GOING TO GO RACE.

I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE DO AND I REMEMBER COMING OUT OF THE STARTING GATE AND JUST LETTING HER RIP.

I HELD MY TUCK RIGHT THROUGH THE FINISH LINE AND I PICKED MY HEAD UP AND I LOOKED AND THE, THE SCOREBOARD WAS UP THERE AND I SEE THE, THE ‘C NELSON WITH A BIG 3 NEXT TO IT.

I'M LIKE, I THINK THAT'S 3RD.

WOO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY BRONZE MEDAL.

IT'S A BRONZE OLYMPIC MEDAL FROM THE 1976 OLYMPICS IN INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA IN THE WOMEN'S DOWNHILL.

YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE IT.

YOU'RE ALWAYS AN OLYMPIAN, BUT IN HINDSIGHT LOOKING BACK I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW SPECIAL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF IT WAS IN DENVER.

- COULD THE DENVER '76 OLYMPICS HAPPEN?

I BELIEVE IT COULD HAVE.

I THINK THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME LATE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, WHICH IS TRUE AT EVERY SINGLE OLYMPIC GAMES.

I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD HAVE COST A LOT MORE THAN THEY EXPECTED.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT I THINK THAT THE VOTERS PROBABLY MADE THE RIGHT DECISION AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

OH, ABSOLUTELY, IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION LOOKING BACK FROM NOW ALSO.

I THINK WE'D STILL BE SUFFERING WITH BUILDINGS THAT WEREN'T BEING USED OR HAD TO BE RAZED OR ANGRY PEOPLE IN EVERGREEN TRYING TO TAKE THE LUGE RUN DOWN.

I MEAN, PROBABLY NOT AFTER 50 YEARS, BUT NO, I THINK IT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT DECISION.

- THERE ARE LOTS OF OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN 1976, AND YOU CAN PROBABLY ARGUE IT AND DEBATE IT ALL DAY, BUT I WOULD SAY IF THE OLYMPIC GAMES ARE SO BAD, WHY IS IT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIES THAT HOST OLYMPIC GAMES WANT TO HOST THEM AGAIN?

I'M ROB COHEN.

I'M THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF THE IMA FINANCIAL GROUP AND INVOLVED IN THE SPORTS COMMUNITY IN DENVER FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TO 16 OLYMPIC GAMES, AND SO THESE ARE ALL COLLECTIONS THAT, THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT DENVER BID, THE DENVER '76 STUFF JUST STARTED TO EMERGE EVERYWHERE.

SO PINS TO HATS TO POSTERS ON THE WALL FROM DENVER '76.

WHAT I TRY TO TELL PEOPLE IS I THINK IN 1976 THE VOTERS OF COLORADO GOT IT RIGHT.

THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT WAS IN A DIFFERENT PLACE, AND REALLY YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY, BUT YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S DIFFERENT TODAY.

I MEAN WE HAVE THE BEST SKI AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE WAY OUR MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES ARE LAID OUT, IT'S NATURALLY SET UP FOR AN OLYMPIC KIND OF FESTIVAL AND ATMOSPHERE.

EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE OLYMPIANS THAT ARE FROM COLORADO.

HOW COOL WOULD IT BE IF THOSE COLORADO OLYMPIANS COULD ACTUALLY COMPETE IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY, IN THEIR OWN STATE.

WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF BIDDING ON THE OLYMPICS IN THE 1930S AND THE 1950S AND THEN ULTIMATELY IN 1976, BUT THEN WE TURNED AROUND AND BID IN THE 1990S AGAIN AND THEN BID ON 2018, 22, 26, 30, AND 34.

I THINK IF PEOPLE TAKE OFF THEIR BLINDERS AND NOT THINK ABOUT THE WAY THE OLYMPIC GAMES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DONE, BUT HOW CAN THEY BE DONE?

OUR THING WAS PRIVATELY FINANCED GAMES, NOT PUBLICLY FINANCED, ONLY BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED OR WANT.

AND WHY ARE OLYMPIC GAMES ONLY ASSOCIATED IN ONE CITY?

SPREAD THE GAMES AROUND, SPREAD THE JOY OF THE GAMES TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.

IF WE THINK CREATIVELY, IF WE THINK INNOVATIVELY, WE CAN COME UP WITH NEW WAYS THAT REALLY MAKES THIS WORK FOR EVERYBODY.

- IT'S NO SECRET DENVER HASN'T EXACTLY CARRIED A TORCH FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

WE MADE HISTORY FOR DISSING THEM IN 1976.

SO WHEN CITY LEADERS WERE EXPLORING THE IDEA AGAIN LAST YEAR, WELL, THAT SPARKED WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON YOUR BALLOT NOW.

- SO PROPOSITION 302 ESSENTIALLY SAID THAT WE CANNOT WORK ON OLYMPIC GAMES WITHOUT FIRST HAVING IT VOTED BY THE PEOPLE.

THE WAY IT'S ACTUALLY WORDED THOUGH WOULD ACTUALLY PREVENT A MAYOR OR A GOVERNOR OR ANY EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE FROM DOING THE WORK THAT IT WOULD NEED TO DO BEFORE A VOTE TO ACTUALLY HAVE A VOTE.

AND SO IT WAS VERY, I'D SAY VERY THOUGHTFULLY CRAFTED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ANTI-OLYMPIC PEOPLE SO THAT WE WOULD NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO BID ON AN OLYMPIC GAMES.

- THE WINTER OLYMPICS TO COME TO COLORADO, I DON'T THINK THEY WILL TRY IT AGAIN.

IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL BURNED BY THAT RACE, THE ONES THAT LOST.

WHY FOOL AROUND WITH DENVER?

YOU KNOW, DICK LAMM MAY NOT BE THERE ANYMORE, BUT THAT ETHIC IS STILL THERE, AND IT IS.

- THEY KEEP TRYING, AND I THINK THAT COLORADO IS WELL SITUATED TO HAVE IT, WE HAVE THE MODERN FACILITIES.

THE GROWTH CAME ANYWAY.

WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS.

- I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE SHOULD BE AN OLYMPICS IN COLORADO.

WE HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE PASSION.

EVENTUALLY, I HOPE IT HAPPENS IN MY LIFETIME.

- YOU KNOW WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL STATE AND BEAUTIFUL RESORTS, AND WE WANT TO CARRY THIS FORWARD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND SOMETIMES IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD PLAN.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FORESIGHT IN THAT PLAN.

IT DOESN'T WORK.

- THE ISSUES OF THE ENVIRONMENT, HOW MONEY IS SPENT ON VARIOUS PROJECTS, THOSE ISSUES ARE NOT RESOLVED.

SO LOOKING BACK 50 YEARS, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE RAISED IN '72, TO SOME EXTENT ARE THERE AND THEY PROBABLY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

- SLIM TO NONE ARE THE CHANCES TO EVER HOST AN OLYMPIC GAMES.

I WILL NEVER SAY NEVER.

I HOPE THAT THE WORK THAT WE DID FOR 12 YEARS BETWEEN 2014 AND 2034 TO BRING THE GAMES HERE PAVED THE PATH TO CREATE FORGIVENESS INSIDE THE IOC AND THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT FOR COLORADO.

I STILL BELIEVE THIS IS THE GREATEST WINTER SPORTS AREA IN THE WORLD THAT'S YET TO HOST AN OLYMPIC GAMES.

- THE 72 ELECTION AND THE FIGHT AGAINST THE OLYMPICS SET COLORADO ON ITS CURRENT TRAJECTORY POLITICALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND CULTURALLY AS WELL.

IT REALLY CRYSTALLIZED A DEBATE, A FIGHT OVER WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT TO BE AS A STATE.

WHO ARE WE AS COLORADO, AND THERE IS NO ONE ANSWER TO THAT.