For Immediate Release: Monday, August 23, 2004 

New Yorkers and the Olympics, Part II  

New Yorkers See Gold in 2012

Most Say 2012 Olympics Would Be Favorable

for Economy of City, State

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Loudonville, NY -  New Yorkers see gold in them thar Olympics, and it’s not just in the medals, according to the latest statewide poll by the Siena (College) Research Institute (SRI).  Most New Yorkers say that if the Olympics came to New York City in 2012, both New York City and New York State have a lot to gain:

• 85% say it would have a favorable effect on the economy of New York City
• 73% say it would have a favorable effect on the economy of New York State

• About 2 to 1 (59%/28%), New Yorkers think New York City will make money on the Olympics
• About 2 to 1 (54%/28%), New Yorkers think New York State will make money on the Olympics

But New Yorkers perceive there is also a cost to all this good Olympic stuff:

• only a third think the Games would have a favorable effect on New York City or New York State taxes;
• about 40% think the Games would have an unfavorable effect
• more than a quarter say they don’t know.
• New Yorkers are split 48%/48% on whether they favor the use of state tax money to provide financial support for the Olympics.

And fewer than a third of New Yorkers think New York City should consider creating the sports facilities proposed for the 2012 Olympic Games, if New York is not chosen to host them.

“A stunning number of New Yorkers think both New York City and the State will make money if the Olympics come to New York City in 2012,” notes Dr. Douglas Lonnstrom, Siena College professor of finance and statistics and SRI Director. “However, they are concerned it will be at tax payer expense, and they do not want the stadiums built unless we get the games.”

Note: This is the second of two releases resulting from the SRI Olympics survey, conducted August 16-19, 2004.   The first was released Friday, August 20, and is available on the SRI website at: http://www.siena.edu/sri/results/2004/040820_Olympics_part_1.htm

This SRI survey was conducted August 16-19, 2004 by random telephone calls to 512 New York State residents over the age of 18.  It has an overall margin of error of  + 4.3 percentage points. For more information or comments, please contact Dr. Douglas Lonnstrom, SRI Director, at 518-783-2362 (office) or 518-456-6073 (home). Survey Cross-tabulations and frequencies can be found at: www.siena.edu/sri, under “surveys.”