As British Columbia braces to find out if it will be chosen to host the 2010 Olympics, some Americans have begun rooting for Canada as well.

• FROM CBC VANCOUVER: The Road to 2010

Four nearby U.S. states – Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska – have all passed resolutions endorsing B.C.'s bid.

Jeff Morris

They're hoping that the Games end up on the West Coast because they believe a jump in tourism will boost the entire area's economy by several hundred million dollars.

"We have a lot of what we call 'circle tourism' in the region," says Washington State Representative Jeff Morris. People may land in Vancouver, but they quickly travel to other nearby destinations, he explains.

Not all Americans want B.C. to win the bid. On the other side of the continent, some U.S. citizens are worried that if Canada gets the Winter Olympics in 2010 it will hurt New York's chances of securing the 2012 Summer Games.

If the International Olympic Committee chooses Canada in 2010, the chances of another North American site being picked in the near future will plunge faster than a high-diving champion, they fear.

But some American politicians in the Pacific Northwest remain solidly behind B.C., arguing that it's not about loyalty to a country but rather to a region's economy.

"The reality is that the Vancouver Olympics would have a huge impact here economically. The New York Olympics would not be a blip on our radar screen," according to Morris.

• FROM MAY 7, 2003: Vancouver's Olympic bid is Canada's bid, say organizers

The IOC will announce its decision on Wednesday at a meeting in Prague. Delegates will vote for one of three cities that made the final cut – Vancouver, Salzburg, Austria, and Pyeongchang, South Korea.