LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The five cities looking to host the 2012 Summer Games submitted bids to the International Olympic Committee on Monday, entering the final stage of a long process in hopes of landing one of the biggest prizes in sports.
Paris, the front-runner to win next year's vote, turned in documents, as did London, Madrid, New York and Moscow. Each book totals more than 550 pages, allowing the IOC to evaluate venues, security, transportation, hotels and financing.
"The bid document in itself is not enough to get you across the line, but it will make your bid better," said London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe, the Olympic 1,500-meter champion in 1980 and 1984. "This is what I would describe as the business of the race. You're not quite into the last lap, but you're just beginning to group at the bell."
The IOC evaluation commission travels to the candidate cities early next year, and will give its recommendations to the 100-plus IOC members a month before they vote by secret ballot in Singapore on July 6.
British bookmaker Ladbrokes on Monday installed Paris as the 1-2 favorite to host its third Olympics after holding the games in 1900 and 1924. London, the 1908 and 1948 host, was at 3-1, with Madrid at 4-1, New York at 14-1 and Moscow, the 1980 host, at 33-1.
Paris has much of the infrastructure in place after hosting soccer's World Cup in 1998.
"We are not overconfident but we feel, due to all the work and checking that has been done and the support from the French government, politicians, IOC members, athletes and community leaders, we think we have put together the best of France," Paris 2012 spokesman Jerome Lenfant said.
London plans to regenerate a rundown area of east London, building an Olympic Park. London's bid also includes landmarks such as Wimbledon, the new Wembley Stadium and Hyde Park.
New York's bid is backed by U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Peter Ueberroth, who ran the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
"This city offers an outstanding combination of marketing, financial and media power that can help the games achieve a new level of global prominence," Ueberroth said Monday.
New York is anchoring its bid on a plan for a stadium on Manhattan's West Side that would be home to the New York Jets. Ueberroth touted the organization of the New York bid and the city's place on the world stage.
"New York is renowned as one of the most international cities in the world with strong ties to every nation," he said.
