Heinz DC Alumni Publish Book on Olympic Bid Process

A group of four alumni from Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College are authors of a book on the Olympic Games bid process, entitled "Bidding for Development: How the Olympic Bid Process Can Accelerate

Transportation Development."

The authors — Ngiste R. Abebe, Mary Trina Bolton, Maggie M. Pavelka, and Morgan L. Pierstorff — are 2012 graduates of the Heinz College’s Master of Science, Public Policy and Management’s (MSPPM-DC) Washington D.C. track.

The book began as a master’s level capstone project in 2011, during which time the authors were second-year students of the Heinz College’s MSPPM-DC program. As a graduation requirement, MSPPM-DC students are tasked with researching and proposing solutions to real-life public policy issues. Following their graduation in May 2012, the quartet was invited to the U.K. to present their findings at a conference hosted by the Royal Holloway University of London’s (RHUL) "Olympics and the ‘isms’ Conference," in advance of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Published by Springer in November 2013, the book is part of the "Sports Economics, Management and Policy" series,designed to provide academics, students, sports business executives, and policymakers with information and analysis on the cutting edge of sports economics, sport management, and public policy on sporting issues. The series editor, Dr. Dennis Coates, a professor of economics at University of Maryland-Baltimore County who is widely regarded as a subject-matter expert, served as an advisor to the group’s capstone project in 2012 and provided the foreword to the book.

"What excited me about the students’ work was that they came up with something new -- a framework where countries could develop bids based on its potential to help spur infrastructure development, something that most cities need help with," noted Dr. Coates. "By focusing their efforts on the development of a sound infrastructure plan as part of the bid process, cities hosting mega-events could create a lasting legacy that goes beyond the hype and costly spending typically associated with these events."

During a panel discussion hosted by the Heinz College in Washington, D.C. on November 13, Dr. Coates and theauthors—joined by CMU alum Chris Watts—discussed the complex business of bidding for mega-events. The panelists weighed a city’s potential for long-term strategic development against the extreme price tag of bidding to host. The dialogue focused on the largest global mega-event—the Olympic Games—and spanned dynamic policy areas from transportation and urban development to sports economics and diplomacy.

"The impressive work of these four alumni is an example of how students of the Heinz College are able to engage inreal-world problem solving," said John Flaherty, distinguished service professor at Heinz College Washington D.C. "We are very proud of this achievement which demonstrates the impact our students and alumni can have."

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