–

Lake Placid probably would have won the 1980 Winter Olympics bid in competition with Vancouver, British Columbia, and now that Vancouver has withdrawn, it is certain to be the site.

This is what Douglas F. Roby, the United States representative on the International Olympic Committee, told Lake Placid Olympic committee members today.

Mr. Roby is in Lake Placid today to inspect games sites and to get firsthand information on facilities to pass on to the other members of the IOC. Using the Department of Environmental Conservation helicopter, he is flying over the ski trails and the bobrun.

“Don’t waste time lobbying for my vote,” he told Luke Patnode, convention director of the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce. He advised the Lake Placid Olympic committee to make a complete report and a dignified presentation to the IOC when it meets in Vienna.

In addition, news stories released last night quote Lord Kilanin, president of the IOC, as saying, “There will be no need to ask for additional bids if Vancouver pulls out. That would be grossly unfair to Lake Placid. The delegation from Lake Placid made a very good impression last year when it applied for the 1976 winter games.”

The past week had been a busy and important one as Lake Placid became the sole bidder for the 1980 Winter Olympics when Vancouver withdrew its bid over the weekend. Vancouver Recreation Minister Jack Radford and Resources Minister Bob Williams told a news conference Friday that the costs of holding the games in Vancouver would be too high.

On Monday, the Lake Placid Bid Committee and local supporters of the bid were anxiously awaiting an announcement of confirmation of support from the House of Representatives.

A congressional resolution introduced by Congressman Robert C. McEwen, supporting Lake Placid as the sire for the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, was approved by the House Monday evening by a vote of 382 to 4.

In a major step earlier this month, Chamonix, France, withdrew its bid, leaving Lake Placid with what looked like a 50-50 chance at a shot for the games. Now the village looks like a shoo-in if the necessary funds are appropriated.

“We must have assurance of the state and federal funding,” said Norman Hess, counsel for the Lake Placid Bid Committee. “The IOC will turn its back on us if we do not have that support. The Denver incident is still fresh in the minds of the IOC members.”

Hess said the village needs $16-20 million from the federal government to aid construction and preparation. State support has been assured by Gov. Malcolm Wilson in letters to the individual members of the Olympic committee.

A number of factors appear to have been involved in Vancouver’s withdrawal.

It is understood that Vancouver wanted the province of British Columbia to pay for preparing Garibaldi — a town 70 miles outside the city — for the skiing competition. The government refused to do so.

Another of the considerations may have been environmental. Residents of the Garibaldi region reportedly do not want development.

The situation there is much like the one in Denver in 1976, according to Patnode.

There is also a rumor that Vancouver’s original interest was in the Summer Olympics and that the only way it could go after Montreal was awarded the 1976 summer games was toward the Winter Olympics.