Vice-president Dick Cheney's former company Halliburton has been contracted by the IOC and the organizers of the Athens Olympic Games to build a dome over the Olympic rowing course at Schinias to protect the course from wind, row2k has learned. "We felt that an American company could do this job best," said Phil Cox, the Halliburton manager overseeing the project. "Besides, the Greeks use all non-union labor, so we can get this done a whole lot quicker and cheaper than we might otherwise."
"Halliburton is a very good fit for a rowing venue," said IOC Vice-president and former Olympic rower Anita DeFrantz. "They are a company of integrity, committed to getting the job done quickly and professionally. Plus, they have a good amount of recent experience working in a mediterranean climate." VP Cheney, reached on his way to the erg he recently received as a gift from an unnamed donor, would not comment.
Initial designs for the dome show that lanes 5-6 will be afforded a slightly greater amount of protection from the wind than the remainder of the course. On a related note, row2k has learned that the lane-draw software for the Olympic regatta has been contracted to Diebold, manufacturers of tamper-proof voting machines in the US.