Bobsled, luge in 2026 Olympic Games could be coming to United States
With the proposed site in Italy still in doubt, the U.S. has entered a bid to host bobsled, luge and skeleton in Lake Placid
The Olympics — or, at least, a few events’ worth — could be coming to the United States in 2026. Italy is facing financial troubles in preparing for the 2026 Winter Games, and could effectively outsource one of the trickier infrastructure elements: the massive sliding facility used for luge, skeleton and bobsled events.
Sliding venues of an Olympic caliber are few and far between across the world. Officials involved in the organization of the Milan-Cortina Games had initially planned to spend $60 million to rehabilitate the classic Eugenio Monti facility, built for the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo. But the project received no construction bids, and a proposal to use a currently shuttered track in Cesena used for the 2006 Turin Games didn’t take off. The cost of rehabilitating the Monti facility is now pegged at $160 million, and as a result, organizers are looking elsewhere for a solution.
Under consideration: several venues elsewhere in Europe, as well as the Lake Placid sliding facility in New York. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee had reached out to Salt Lake City as well, but officials at that site are attempting to land the 2034 Olympics and are focusing their efforts in that direction.
New York Olympic officials have submitted a bid to host the events, and the USOPC supports the bid.
"The organizers of Milan-Cortina are actively seeking solutions to support the sliding sport competition at the 2026 Games," USOPC chief executive officer Sarah Hirshland said last week in a media address. "I'm proud to say that the New York Olympic Authority has stepped up and that we're fully supportive of their efforts to welcome the world in 2026 for this important element of the competition."
The proposal promotes Lake Placid as an option by noting “one degree of separation” — Lake Placid is at 44 degrees North latitude, while Cortina is 45 degrees. The New York committee plans to name a turn after Monti, an Italian Olympic hero who won at the 1961 World Championships at Lake Placid, and promised that medal ceremonies would be held in New York City at Rockefeller Center.
Lake Placid has hosted two Olympics, in 1932 and 1980, and also hosts an Olympic training center.
“Its vibrant winter sports communities combined with New York's Italian heritage,” Hirshland added, “and the synergy between Lake Placid, New York City and Milan-Cortina makes this kind of an unforgettable and culturally rich location for sliding sports.”
Milan-Cortina organizers have also contacted German, Austrian and Swiss Olympic authorities about hosting the events. Based on geography and logistics, facilities in Innsbruck, Austria and St. Moritz, Switzerland are the likeliest options to host the events.
No Winter Olympic events have ever been held outside the host country’s borders. Next summer, the surfing competition at the Paris Games will be held in Tahiti, which offers much better surfing options than France.
Italian officials have not yet given up hope on hosting the sliding events, indicating that further proposals will be forthcoming. However, Milan-Cortina must present a final decision to the International Olympic Committee by January in order to begin preparing for test events in 2025.
