Ft Worth Feels Snubbed by "Dallas 2024"

International Olympic Committee rules say that bids must come from a single city, but events can be organized regionally and held outside the city. So, the name "DFW 2024" won't do. Nor will "NorthTexas 2024" or "Metroplex 2024," which would never do even if the IOC was OK with it. So, "Dallas 2024" it is. The organizers are trying to be inclusive. They have pretty pictures of the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, and Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. They sound like civic boosters for the whole area.

The Dallas 2024 Committee is a grassroots organization formed by area Olympians, business leaders and other members of our community who share a common goal of engaging all of North Texas with the ideals of Olympism and are preparing to initiate an Olympic bid on behalf of the City of Dallas and all of North Texas.

Source: Dallas 2024.

What's to get offended about? There's always something. After the jump.

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The ever vigilant Bud Kennedy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram can be faithfully relied on to take umbrage at perceived slights to Fort Worth by anyone who uses the word Dallas to mean more than just the city proper. Kennedy decided there's something about the "Dallas 2024" effort that makes it "clear that Dallas has no intention of promoting regional events or DFW-wide cooperation." He denies it's the name. It's certainly not the organizing committee's stated intention to engage all of North Texas. It's more that Kennedy just doesn't believe them. He claims that unless the organizing committee membership includes "everybody," they're "lying about their common goal." Lying. Strong word. He doesn't substantiate his charge, so maybe he'll forgive me if I don't substantiate my suspicion that it's really the name. When he says "Dallas 2024" should include "everybody," he really means "Fort Worth."

Whatever. This quixotic effort is doomed for any number of reasons. This area cat fight right from the start is just the first. Kennedy and Fort Worth won't have to worry about seeing Rafalca, the Romney's dancing dressage horse, prancing about, not in the Fort Worth stockyards, but in Dallas' soon-to-be brand new equestrian park.