Where previous Olympic hosts have had to build highways and rail systems, and to upgrade water and sewer facilities, Salt Lake's infrastructure is already in place.

United States cities have been picked as Olympic hosts five times since 1960, most recently Atlanta last year.

And a rigorous cost-benefit analysis makes it clear that New Jersey is a more appropriate Olympic host.

That might make future Olympic hosts leery about turning over the tickets to tour packagers.

Before the Olympics, as fears of United States jingoism surfaced, I wrote that Americans were no worse than other Olympic hosts.

What Bloomberg tried to convey, in a way that was confident and approachable, was his vision of New York as a great Olympic host.

Athens, unlike Sydney and Salt Lake City, the last Olympic hosts, is no stranger to terrorism.

One can only assume that this puppy's there so Olympic hosts Spain at least get a sniff at a medal.

Another change the Olympic committee could make today would let its members again visit cities that are candidates to be Olympic hosts.

Americans are not only pulling away from our Olympic hosts, the upstart Australians, in the overall medal race here at the 2000 Summer Games.