BREAKING: AP Source: US Olympic Committee ends effort to bring 2024 Olympics to Boston.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 27, 2015
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.
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Comments
Dear Governor Baker: please still release Brattle Group report
By Ron Newman
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:55pm
It will be very useful to read, even though this particular bid is dead. Perhaps it could even forestall a future bid?
There will be no future bid.
By anon
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:23pm
There will be no future bid. Boston, like Denver, is now going to be blacklisted by the USOC.
ohhhh nooooo!
By Matthew Miller
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:49pm
Oh no, Br'er Fox! Not the USOC blacklist!
Minor difference
By Ari O
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 4:15pm
Denver was awarded the games by the IOC, as in they beat out all the other cities in the US and internationally, too. It would be as if Boston had been awarded the games over Hamburg and Rome and whoever, and then pulled the plug in 2020.
Cry me a river
By karen
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 9:46pm
*GASP* the USOC Blacklist? THE HORROR!
Baker said it will still be released in some form
By adamg
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:26pm
Because it can be helpful for making Boston better even without the Olympics.
Just like those DMU cars for
By MattL
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 6:20pm
Just like those DMU cars for the Commuter Rail would be helpful for making Boston better without the Olympics.
Too bad he cut them out of the budget.
He cut the DMUs?
By Jason
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 7:06pm
Dammit, I didn't know that.
He can't do that alone
By anon
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 11:32am
All expenditures are by the great and general court. He doesn't get a line item veto.
Our governor DOES get a line item veto...
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 4:20pm
... but it can be over-ridden by the legislature.
https://malegislature.gov/Budget/Process
referendum
By onelith
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 4:16pm
Would it be smart to continue with the referendum that calls for not spending taxpayers money on any future Olympic Bids. 2028, 2032......?
No
By FlyingToaster
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 5:23pm
If there were a non-grifting bid in 2080, I'm pretty sure the then Bostonians will support it.
So long as it's the "grab land in use by eminent domain" crowd, no bid is going to happen.
The referendum was intended to stop this particular mess, and I for one would not support tying the hands of future generations.
VICTORY!
By Turkey Liberati...
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:55pm
GOOOOOOOOOOOBBBLEEEE! GOBBBBLLLEEEEE! GOOOOBBBBBLLLEEE!!!!
Yaaaaaay!!!!!!!
By anon
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:57pm
Yaaaaaay!!!!!!!
Congrats to all ten of you....
By moxie
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:57pm
On Twitter. You know who you are.
Oh come on. Not seriously?
By Sally
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:09pm
This was a harebrained scheme from the beginning with scant public support that started dwindling the minute they started talking details about how they were going to stick a volleyball court in the middle of the Common and how everyone was going to get to Franklin Park on pub trans. I'm not ready to give any credit at all to the Twitter nuts and definitely not the half dozen who showed up at Marty Walsh's house in the middle of the night. I give main props to the snow for shutting the T down and reminding us of how much work we need to have a well-functioning city,
Lighten Up!
By APB
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:18pm
Terrible decisions are continually pushed through at the expense of the majority and the profit of the 1%. Politics much?
Why not give credit to everyone who "unpatriotically" voiced their opposition, whether they spoke up intelligently, emotionally, or just crankily? We were heard! If we were able to join together and make this go away, we can change some other stupid things around here, too.
I believe this alludes to
By chaosjake
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:25pm
Walsh's quote from this morning:
Yes, it was a left handed jibe at being dissed
By moxie
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:29pm
And a two handed thumbs up for the tens of thousands who kicked this thing to the curb where it belonged from the jump.
LOL!!
By Sally
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:31pm
Ok--I admit I haven't read the whole story. I just felt from the beginning that support was extremely tepid and the more that was revealed--the money- and land-grabbing, the designs for the venues, the deep flaws in the planning re infrastructure and transportation and THEN the catastrophic snow, that it never had a chance (which was fine w me, btw). I just think the crazed anti-Olympics folks were wasting a lot of energy throwing water on a few dying albeit well-financed coals. But I guess if Marty wants to give them credit for shutting things down then they should bask in it.
As one of the ten, I think you're wrong
By Nancy
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 4:55pm
What would happen if everyone just shuffled around mumbling "Yeah, I guess I don't want the Olympics here?" but no one stood up and said "No!"?
That's why going to community meetings and taking to social media was important. Did you go to any community meetings and see the contempt from Boston 2024 representatives like Nikko Mendoza? I, for one, thought it was extremely important to get my ass out there, stand at a microphone and ask questions to get ideas out.
So, if you want to call me crazy, go ahead. You wouldn't be the first and you won't be the last. One thing you can't call me is apathetic.
Oy!
By Sally
Tue, 07/28/2015 - 12:19am
For Pete's sake--I didn't mean it so literally or personally. I still just believe that this thing was a goner from the start. And while yes, I do believe in speaking up and going to meetings and so on, I found a lot of the anti-Olympic stuff completely OTT for something that had a snowball's chance of actually happening. Then again I'm not a fan of Marty's union goons either which is partly why I didn't vote for the guy. I wouldn't have gone to one of those meetings if you paid me.
You're welcome
By cybah
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:12pm
twitter user #9
Walsh was speaking in binary.
By Boston_res
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:34pm
It was actually two Twitter posters. I think we saw them on the Fox debate.
Cue the Duck Boats!!
By Sources Say
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:58pm
It's like Christmas in July!!!! Let's have a parade!
Seriously
By APB
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:36pm
There should be a city-wide block party or something. There should be dancing.
Is the French Toast Alert Back Up Already?
By dpalomares
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:58pm
...
Does Harvey Leonard
By jmeltzer
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:46pm
have a big grin on his face?
I congratulate those
By Bob Leponge
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:58pm
whose hard work and dedication, even with miniscule budgets, insisted on a little transparency. The bid could not survive the public release of documents, and so collapsed on its own, proving once again that sunshine is an awesome disinfectant.
Its great to see the little
By Kinopio
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:21pm
Its great to see the little people defeat big money.
'tis but a skirmish
By Bob Leponge
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:23pm
The good guys need to be vigilant and to win every single one. The bad guys need only win once in a while.
My condolences to Shirley
By Hardy Har Har
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 2:59pm
My condolences to Shirley Leung.
Send her a fruit basket
By John-W
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:06pm
...did I say fruit? I meant poop. In a bucket, not a basket. I mean, return like with like.
Maybe she can now move...
By Michael Kerpan
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:06pm
... to the LA suburbs?
Or, perhaps, devote herself full time to something like privatization of public schools.
I'm pretty sure that's Scot Lehigh's beat
By Anonymous
Tue, 07/28/2015 - 3:54am
They could both work the neo-liberal beat.
Like a "professional wrestling"...
By Michael Kerpan
Tue, 07/28/2015 - 10:09am
... tag team.
will she remain at the globe?
By anon
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 4:44pm
If the Olympics had flown, there could've been a revolving door for her.
Now her best bet might be to keep her Globe position, where she'll be known as a sympathetic ear the next time developers want to swindle the city.
(Congratulations and thank you to the governor and all those who helped shoot down the Olympics swindle! Now I know who I'll be voting for another term, and who I won't be.)
Shirley Leung 7/28 piece already on bostonglobe.com
By anon
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 11:13pm
Strap that columnist to doomed boston.com. Save the Globe and restore its good name.
Caviar on that toast
By Markk02474
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:19pm
is deserved for this celebration! Wow, what will politicians and media do now for a distraction?
Next steps
By Hallelujah
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:00pm
Let's fund the T, build more housing and tax underutilized land.
if only
By Steeve
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:33pm
If only there was some sort of large event in the next 10 years that could help kick start such activities.
How about the election of a Mayor...
By Michael Kerpan
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:40pm
... and a City Council with both a sense of vision and a considerable level of intelligence and common sense.
Thank you
By Fitz
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:04pm
Thank you to Chris Dempsey and the No Boston Olympics people who risked significant black balling and their own careers to fight this ill-advised idea. And to the activists who allied with them and pushed the envelope. Lastly, thanks to the everyday residents who were smart enough to do their homework and realize this was an unnecessary distraction from the city's real issues. This is anything but a NIMBY exercise, this is regular people refusing to be told what is best for them by a select group of self-interested people without their inclusion or input. Bravo.
Baker comments
By adamg
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:06pm
I've moved them into the original post.
what will be interesting
By cybah
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:14pm
If the same people who were cheerleading this event keep trying to redevelop these 'blighted' and 'underutilized' swaths of land now that the bid has been canceled.
I some how don't think it will happen, but ya know, if they truly believed what they believed in, Boston 2024's main objective would still happen regardless of the games.
Widett Circle and part of Columbia Point, I bet
By adamg
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:23pm
The mayor has his eye on those millions in tax revenue from Widett Circle, and UMass Boston was talking about dormitories even before the Olympics.
Good
By cybah
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:25pm
This means we're still on track.
See folks, we can have all the great things the Olympics can bring if we just work together to bring them here. And we can do it without the headache of the Olympics. All we have to do is believe...
Now let's fix the T...
Now let's fix the T...
By MattL
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 6:23pm
LOL! Good one.
Enjoy next winter, everyone!
Mayor's Patrons Have Their Eyes On Those Millions In Tax Breaks
By Elmer
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 3:51pm
Redeveloping Columbia Point: it should still happen
By Ron Newman
Mon, 07/27/2015 - 9:56pm
Unlike Widett Circle, it contains a large amount of truly unused land. UMass-Boston and others should be grateful that the Olympics distraction is out of the way, and proceed with building truly transit-oriented development.
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