For what it's worth - I fully support trying to land the Olympics. We've all seen how if handled properly, they can be a huge incentive for cities to put through infrastructure projects that would otherwise be pushed off. I do think the city could put their tentative support behind a bid because even if we won, spending wouldn't start right away, and it could be framed by Toronto leaders as a way to secure federal and provincial investments into the city.
For those who think NFL aspirations would get in the way, I'm not so sure. Ford can leverage city support with stipulations that the stadium would be constructed in a way that it could be modified for permanent use, like what Atlanta did with their Olympic Stadium becoming the replacement home for the Braves. This opens the door for the NFL more than what exists now.
Declining support right now could be posturing as well. If there is significant enough public interest, then coming back to the table would appear to be the will of the people rather than the Ford's putting their sporting interests ahead of their austerity measures. Removing their support in order to get more of what they want - Adam Vaughn style, if you will - only to grant it after a more suitable arrangement is also possible.
But if Ford has any indication that other levels of government would pull away from the table in terms of financial support, then it would be irresponsible for him to commit to a bid and be left holding the bag should we win.
