Hey, there! Log in / Register

Get out the butter: Boston Olympics are toast

At a press conference at which he confirmed the decision, Gov. Baker said the state had a review schedule set in March and USOC knew that in March, so, meh. "I've never planned an Olympics before" and wanted to know how to do it right, he said. We can still use some of the Olympics proposals - like fixing "K Circle" in Dorchester, he said. Also, the Brattle Group report will have helpful hints.

Baker wouldn't strongly criticize the USOC but suggested they just don't understand how we do things here. He said he's lived here all his life, and one of the things he likes about Massachusetts is that "we do have loud and robust policy and political debates on stuff like this."

Walsh statement:

I strongly believe that bringing the Olympic Games back to the United States would be good for our country and would have brought long-term benefits to Boston. However, no benefit is so great that it is worth handing over the financial future of our City and our citizens were rightly hesitant to be supportive as a result. We always anticipated having the time to do our due diligence on the guarantees required and a full review of the risk and mitigation package proposed last week. This is a monumental decision that cannot be rushed, even if it means not moving forward with our bid for the 2024 Summer Games.

Excerpt from Boston 2024 statement:

Notwithstanding the promise of the original vision for the bid, and the soundness of the plan developed under Steve Pagliuca, we have not been able to get a majority of the citizens of Boston to support hosting the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Therefore, the USOC does not think that the level of support enjoyed by Boston’s bid would allow it to prevail over great bids from Paris, Rome, Hamburg, Budapest or Toronto.

Boston 2024 has expressed confidence that, with more time, they could generate the public support necessary to win the bid and deliver a great Games. They also recognize, however, that we are out of time if the USOC is going to be able to consider a bid from another city. As a result, we have reached a mutual agreement to withdraw Boston’s bid to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Neighborhoods: 
Topics: 


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

If UHub ever managed to have a story which somehow in a single post included bikes, cars, students, yuppies, snow, space savers, Brookline turkeys, the MBTA being the MBTA, guns, drug policy, homeless people, citizens connect reports, and adorable animals the comments would have to hit 1k!

up
Voting closed 0

And there is another.

I'm done. Centi-threads are tough to follow.

up
Voting closed 0

Did you have a good time with this subject????
I'll miss the commentary but I will move on.

up
Voting closed 0

OK, writing a parody of one of the Globe's transformational editorials was fun - especially when Boston 2024 thought it was serious, but otherwise, it was really an interesting chance to watch history being made.

up
Voting closed 0

They started in Newport and Providence, RI. Why not bring them back to New England?

up
Voting closed 0

Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games

they've been around since 1939 and have attempted to submit Los Angeles bids for most Summer Olympics from 1940 to 2024, except for the few years right after 1984.

up
Voting closed 0

Poor Poor Shirley.. what is she going to cheerlead now? Makes me wonder if she'll be out of a job or heading to SoCal to write opt ed pieces for the LA Times calling local residents babies.

up
Voting closed 0

She's relieved that she can move on to real topics now. Sounds to me that her overlords at the Globe have dismissed her as lead cheerleader. Boo hoo

up
Voting closed 0

Ms. Leung needs to provide some citations...

up
Voting closed 0

I was hoping for a scolding and sulking to rival the Checkers speech!

up
Voting closed 0

I vanish into the waters and islands of Muscongus Bay without mobile device and return to indoor plumbing and this! Thank you to all who asked the tough questions and would not take "not your business" for an answer.

up
Voting closed 0

Pages