1996 Olympics: How the games came to Gainesville, Lake Lanier - Gainesville Times

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1996 Olympics: How the games came to Gainesville, Lake Lanier

A crowd of 9,000 gathers on the Gainesville square July 15, 1996, as Doug Ivester, then president and chief operating officer of Coca-Cola enters the square with the Olympic torch. Ivester grew up in New Holland, just outside of Gainesville. - photo by Jim Cook Jr.

07172021 OLYMPICS 15.jpg — A crowd of 9,000 gathers on the Gainesville square July 15, 1996, as Doug Ivester, then president and chief operating officer of Coca-Cola enters the square with the Olympic torch. Ivester grew up in New Holland, just outside of Gainesville. - photo by Jim Cook Jr.

Jim Mathis Mathis Jr. said he started the process of getting Gainesville involved in the Olympics in 1991.