Cincinnati pushed to host the 2012 Olympics

CINCINNATI - While the nation celebrates our Olympic athletes competing in London, it has some remembering the push to bring the 2012 games to the Queen City.

More than a decade ago, former Cincinnati City Councilmember Nick Vehr helped lead the charge to make Cincinnati a host city.

"It's impossible to estimate what our chances are right now. There are eight great American cities. We are one of those eight great American cities competing,” said Vehr in a past interview.

Cincinnati didn't make the cut. The game plan was to go for a regional approach.

Cincinnati would work with Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Louisville and Lexington to host the events. It's something Vehr still says could have worked.

"I sit there and think ‘Oh we could do that. This event is in Wales and this event is up in Birmingham over in this, and that city,' and this regional concept is what always occurs,” he said.

Vehr says even though the city's bid for the Olympics is now part of the past, the city continues to enjoy the success of the World Choir Games . He served as the managing director for the WCG.

"What made it over the top successful was the way the community embraced it. That they got emotionally engaged, the way the volunteers took ownership of people coming to visit their home."

While Vehr has moved on, some are still holding onto hope. There's already a Cincinnati for the 2024 Olympics Facebook page .