1960 Winter Olympics - Host City Selection

Host City Selection

Squaw Valley was an unexpected selection for the 1960 Winter Olympics. Innsbruck, Austria had submitted a compelling bid and was considered the favorite while Squaw Valley was a struggling ski resort with minimal facilities. The only inhabitant and homeowner in the area was Alexander Cushing, who was inspired to an Olympic bid by a newspaper article mentioning that Reno, Nevada and Anchorage, Alaska had expressed interest in the Games. Cushing, president of the Squaw Valley Development Company, petitioned California Governor Goodwin Knight to support a bid to host the Olympic Games. Knight's administration agreed and recommended that the California Legislature appropriate US$1,000,000 to the effort. Based on the financial support received from the State of California the United State Olympic Committee (USOC) approved the bid on 7 January 1955. Cushing and the USOC received a resolution passed by the United State Congress and signed by President Dwight Eisenhower, calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to consider Squaw Valley's bid for the 1960 Games. Preliminary reports were drafted and submitted to the IOC who was considering bids from Innsbruck, St. Moritz, Switzerland and Chamonix, France. Squaw Valley's bid was accepted with a caveat by IOC president Avery Brundage who warned the Organizing Committee that unless more funds were secured by April 1956, the bid would be awarded to Innsbruck. Another $4,000,000 was committed by the State Legislature, which met Brundage's requirements and on 4 April 1956 the right to host the 1960 Winter Olympics was officially awarded to Squaw Valley. Competitors and officials from European nations were incensed with the selection, they felt that the alpine ski courses were not up to specifications and that the altitude would prove too stressful on the athletes.