COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. – A record 10 cities, including two-time Olympic host Los Angeles, have officially signed up as candidates to bring the Summer Games back to the United States in 2012: Los Angeles, host of the 1932 and 1984 games, was joined by Arlington, Texas; Tampa; Baltimore; Cincinnati; Houston; New York; San Francisco; Seattle; and Washington. All but Los Angeles, Arlington and Tampa had signed up with the USOC earlier this year as potential bidders for the games in 2008, and the earlier bidders were charged $100,000 to stay in the race. The three new cities paid $150,000. The USOC decided in June not to pursue a 2008 candidacy, saying it was too far behind other international bidders and had little chance of winning since U.S. cities had been picked five times since 1960, most recently Atlanta last year. New Orleans, which had submitted a proposal for 2008, did not run this time. Boston and Chicago, early contenders for 2008 who dropped out before that deadline, also did not submit bids for 2012. Houston also is bidding for the U.S. candidacy for the 2007 Pan American Games, along with Miami, Raleigh, N.C., and San Antonio.
