Michael C. Mitchell, CEO of MCM Group International met with Nanjing government officials to advise on the planning for the city’s upcoming 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Mitchell served as serving as Group Vice President of the Los Angeles Olympics, and as a senior planning consultant for six other Olympic Games.
Mitchell emphasized to leaders the importance of have a clear vision of how their city will be perceived by the world: “The most important thing of Nanjing is to tell the world a good story about this great city.” Further, this view should be at the center of design, organization, and planning of the Games: “To show a beautiful, friendly, and open Nanjing to the world is the base of a successful Olympic event,” said Mitchell.
Nanjing, or “Jin” as it is known locally, is China’s third largest city. It won the competition to host the Second Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014 after defeating Poznan, Poland. The IOC had previously stated that Nanjing would be a safer choice, and, as such, safety is much on the mind of Nanjing’s government officials.
The first step in building to that vision, though, especially for an Olympic event, is security, which needs to be considered before any other planning, Mitchell advised. He used the 1972 Munich Olympic Games are a grim reminder that though the government did so much wonderful work in organizing, today people remember the Munich Games as the site of the brutal murders of 10 athletes.
Government officials agreed wholeheartedly with Mitchell’s assessment of the challenge and on the importance of minimizing and offsetting the event’s impact on the local environment by focusing on four key areas: protection of nature, climate neutrality, waste management and environmental communications.
“Mitchell’s guidance will be vital to developing a plan that achieves these goals,” suggested one official.
Mitchell will work closely with government officials to ensure a sustainable, secure, successful Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014. Mitchell has agreed to provide consulting services and help guide the committee in presenting a view of Nanjing the world has yet to see.