The competition
Events centered in four districts, using many venues from the 2007 Pan Am Games. Expecting revenues of $750 million with construction costs of $508 million. Feds have guaranteed any cost overruns. Half of venues would be within 10 minutes of Olympic Village. "We will throw the greatest party ever,'' declared Sergio Cabral, governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro.
TOKYO
Stumbled when IOC reprimanded Japanese officials for improperly quizzing Rio about its bidding plan. New $1 billion waterfront stadium on tap, as well as four other permanent structures in aim to create "Olympic theme park." Marketing revenues tapped at $1.55 billion. Security plan includes cameras linked to computers scanning faces for known criminals.
PRAGUE
Budget to stage Olympics in Prague totals $7 billion, including $600 million for non-sports infrastructure such as roads. Main stadium will be converted into trade center. Some doubts expressed: Czech President Vaclav Klaus fretted about developing "facilities for sports that will hardly be followed by a single spectator later on.''
MADRID
Lost 2012 Games to London. Would use Olympics to revitalize blighted area. Transportation upgrades pegged at $8.7 billion. "Some people say because London [has] got the Games in 2012 then Europe won't get them again in 2016. But nowhere is it written down that is the case,'' said sports minister Jaime Lissavetsky.
DOHA, QATAR
Promises up to $1.1 billion government subsidy. Oil-rich nation about the size of Connecticut building what it calls "the world's most advanced Paralympic stadium.'' Hosting Olympics would "bring the Olympic flame to the Arabic-speaking world for the first time, extending the Olympic ideals to millions of new hearts and minds.''
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN
Caspian Sea resort city, formerly part of Soviet Union. Slightly smaller than Maine with 8.1 million residents. Hosted 2007 World Wrestling Championships. Long border with Iran could present security risks. No public release of plans.
Andrew Herrmann