One of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s failed attempts was to bring the Summer Olympics to New York in 2012. Other projects from that failed effort ultimately went ahead, but in the end the Olympics went elsewhere.  Of course, with the Winter Olympics taking place this year in Sochi, Russia, a enterprising New York Times team of reporters and illustrators wondered: What if organizers attempted to construct venues appropriate for the Winter Olympics in The big Apple? 

The results are stunning, from a ski slope nearly the length of Central Park and twice as tall as the Empire State Building, the freezing over of major thoroughfares in the city to allow for a speedskating path, and a winding luge path that veers around the tall landmarks within Times Square.

For those who like a little visual “what if,” the Times has compiled a compelling arrangement of illustrations that show just how big the Winter Olympics are, and why spending $50 billion to host them isn’t as far fetched as it may seem.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/02/04/sports/olympic-venues.html?emc=eta1&_r=0