Could Boston host the Olympics?
A private group is pushing to have Boston compete to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, and hopes to gain support from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.
Last month, the US Olympic Committee sent a letter to the mayors of 35 cities – including Boston – to find out if they would be interested in hosting the games.
Members of the Boston Olympic Exploratory Committee, chaired by Eric Reddy, met with city officials on Monday.
“What we want is a green light to pursue this for, say, five months and see how far we get,” Reddy told the Boston Globe. “We would form a [nonprofit organization] and begin to seek donations.”The committee has a website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed — but not many specifics. On Facebook, the group encourages its fans (more than 450 as of Tuesday morning) to contact Menino, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and other local officials.
Menino and Patrick have not commented on the idea, although Menino “liked” the group’s Facebook page, along with Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman.
In January, State Senator Eileen Donoghue filed a bill on Beacon Hill that would create a special commission to study the feasibility of hosting the Summer Olympics.
This isn’t the first time that Boston has considered bidding for the games. Efforts in 2004 and 2008 were abandoned. 1996 was the last time the Summer Olympics were held in the United States; Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Games in 2002. Recent bids by New York and Chicago have been rejected by the International Olympic Committee.
Cities interested in 2024 have until 2015 to apply. A vote on the site of the 2020 Games will be made this September.
The 2014 Winter Games will be held in Sochi, Russia. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosts the 2016 Summer Olympics.
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