IN A tight race for the next American city to bid for hosting an Olympic Games, Boston was announced the winner, beating out major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington DC.
“This selection is in recognition of our city’s talent, diversity and global leadership,” said Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. “Our goal is to host Olympic and Paralympic Games that are innovative, walkable and hospitable to all. Boston hopes to welcome the world’s greatest athletes to one of the world’s greatest cities.”
The final pick was made Thursday, Jan. 8 by the US Olympic Committee, ending months of suspense for the four US cities that were named finalists last June. The meeting was held at the Denver International Airport, where the USOC publicly announced their decision.
Boston’s Olympic organizers will spend the next two years trying to gain support of the International Olympic Committee, which will chose the host city for the 2024 Summer Games.
Los Angeles and Boston were the two most favorite, oddsmakers claimed. Los Angeles had the advantage of having successfully hosted the Summer Games in 1983 (and previously in 1932). In Boston, however, there has been vocal opposition to hosting the Olympics.
The group No Boston Olympics criticized the process for its “lack of transparency,” said National Public Radio’s 90.9 WBUR station.
No Boston Olympics co-chair Chris Dempsey explained his opposition in a WBUR interview, saying the “Olympics do force you to build a bunch of stuff. But it’s stuff that you don’t really need.”
Instead of building expensive Olympics facilities, Dempsey said, the city should focus on improving schools and health care.
Boston organizers are hoping to bring the Olympics back to the US for the first time since the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
New York and Chicago both lost their earlier bids to host the Games, in 2012 and 2016. However, the IOC could be more receptive to a US bid due to newly adjusted revenue-sharing arrangements.
The 2024 games are seen as being within the reach of a strong American bid; however, the winning nation will face tight competition from major world cities like Rome, possibly Paris, or even South Africa.
“If South Africa bids, some in the IOC may be tempted to stage Africa’s first Olympics ever,” said NPR’s Howard Berkes.
Official submissions to the International Olympic Committee, which is always looking to spread the Olympic Games spirit worldwide, are due in about a year. The IOC will select its final decision for a host city in the summer of 2017.
(With reports from Los Angeles Times, NPR)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend January 10-13, 2015 Sec. A pg.6)
