Olympic Dreams
Two local businessmen are involved in different multi-million dollar international ventures with the potential to impact San Diego’s economy.
Vincent Mudd wants San Diego to host the summer Olympic Games in 2024. He chairs the exploratory committee which has already submitted a preliminary proposal to the USOC, which hasn’t decided whether the U.S. will submit any bid to the IOC or not.
Reportedly, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston and Philadelphia are in the running as well. .
The winter games in Sochi cost Russia some $51 billion, breaking one more Olympic record. The 2012 summer games in London cost the UK a modest $14 billion. The San Diego committee says it will cost less to put the games on here, as 80 percent of the venues are already built.
The last U.S. city to put on a summer Olympics was Atlanta in 1996, which might not be such a good omen.
Dreams of Chinese Money
Local philanthropist Malin Burnham and Orange County venture capitalist Tom Gephart (Ventana) aim to finance 10 to 20 start-up tech companies — mostly based in San Diego — with $200 million — in mostly Chinese money.
A city that wants to be “the Bangalore of China,” Dalian, will send $40 million. Bangalore, in turn, bills itself as “the Silicon Valley of India.” San Diego, of course, is "America's Finest City."
China, analysts say, doesn’t innovate, but it certainly manufactures. And it’s got money.
Sailing Dreams Capsized
As everyone knows – especially cable news viewers -- the ocean adventure of former San Diegan Joel Kaufman and his family did not turn out well.
In fact, it’s estimated that the dramatic rescue of the family from the ocean off (way off) the coast of Mexico will cost California taxpayers some $210,000.
But it potentially will cost the Kaufmans more.
The sailboat sunk by the California Air National Guard during the rescue mission 1,000 miles off shore was their home. Criticism of the parents’ judgment in bringing a three-year-old and a one-year-old on a year-long, around-the-world trip aboard a 36-foot sailboat metastasized on social and traditional media.
Dreams Of A City Council Seat
Former San Diego Unified School District trustee Mitz Lee; vice-president of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association Chris Cate; and educational consultant Carol Kim (a political newbie) are among those running for the open City Council seat in District 6.
Because of redistricting, former District Six Council Member Lorie Zapf will now have to run in District 2, Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s former district.
In a forum this week, these candidates (not all on the ballot showed up) were questioned about traffic and infrastructure, parks and public facilities, economic development, and education. All are currently against public funds for a new football stadium.
The outcome of this election has the potential to provide the San Diego City Council with a veto-proof, left-of-center majority.
