Denver weighs Olympics over 40 years after saying no thanks

Over 40 years after becoming the first city to walk away from an Olympic bid, Denver is considering whether to try to again host the Winter Games.

Questions about the environmental impact, huge costs and logistics killed Denver’s plans to host the 1976 Olympics. But the leader of the committee exploring a possible bid says only three venues would have to be built, all of them temporary.

Chairman Rob Cohen says an Olympics could produce a multimillion-dollar surplus that could be used to help Colorado, such as improving the highway to the mountains that is usually packed with cars on weekends.

Denver faces stiff competition from Salt Lake City, the first U.S. city to announce plans to bid on the 2030 Olympics. Reno, Nevada, is also considering a bid.