Boston's bid withdrawal puts L.A. back in the running for 2024 Olympics
Boston’s short-lived campaign to bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics ended Monday after months of struggles with local opposition and low public support.
Officials from the city and the U.S. Olympic Committee issued a joint statement announcing the withdrawal. The USOC also said it will immediately begin exploring the possibility of a replacement city -- which opens the door for Los Angeles.
It was just in January that Boston edged out Los Angeles in a USOC competition to become the sole American bidder. Though USOC officials say they have not spoken with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office since then, it has been no secret that Los Angeles would be ready and willing to step in at the last minute.
If the USOC intends to move forward, it must submit an official bid to the International Olympic Committee by mid-September.
“I continue to believe that Los Angeles is the ideal Olympic city and we have always supported the USOC in their effort to return the Games to the United States,” Garcetti said in a statement. “I would be happy to engage in discussions with the USOC about how to present the strongest and most fiscally responsible bid on behalf of our city and nation.”
USOC Chief Executive Scott Blackmun estimated the replacement process would proceed until “later in August,” and said that his committee would have no further comment until then.
Boston’s withdrawal came hours after its mayor balked at signing a host-city contract, which included substantial financial guarantees that would have made the city responsible for any cost overruns.
Such assurances are standard procedure for bid cities, but Mayor Martin J. Walsh said he would not sign until he knew more about the financial picture of the proposed Games.
“I cannot commit to putting the taxpayers at risk,’’ he said, adding that if the contract is required by the USOC, then “Boston is no longer pursuing to host the 2024 Summer Games.”
The USOC board of directors then quickly reviewed the situation by teleconference, leading to the announcement.
Though Boston 2024 officials agreed to withdraw, they expressed disappointment.
“We continue to believe that hosting the Games would have brought transformational benefits to Boston,” said Steve Pagliuca, head of the bid committee. However, he added, the city faces “challenges when it comes to the cost of housing, our aging infrastructure and the need to help all Bostonians find good jobs.”
Earlier, Walsh said he would not have any regrets about the bidding process because it helped spur a conversation and led to the creation of plans to redevelop the Widett Circle area and expand housing options in Dorchester’s Columbia Point neighborhood.
Los Angeles’ earlier proposal stressed economic efficiency, with events held throughout the city, many at existing venues such as Staples Center and the renovated Pauley Pavilion.
The bid would also now include a revamped Memorial Coliseum, and an NFL stadium could also come into the mix by 2024.
Two other cities involved in last winter’s domestic bid competition -- San Francisco and Washington -- might also seek to get back into the running.
The IOC is scheduled to select a host for the 2024 Games in 2017.
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Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles TimesUPDATES
12:52 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details and background.
12:25 p.m.: This article has been updated with USOC confirmation that Boston is no longer am Olympic bid city.
12:09 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details and background.
This article was originally published at 11:58 a.m.
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