In January 2015, the United States Olympic Committee awarded its 2024 Summer Olympics bid nomination to Boston.
Considered the underdog up against San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., Boston’s bid was led by a private non-profit organization called Boston2024.
In the months since this decision, Boston and Massachusetts residents have been engaged in conversations regarding all aspects of this bid from the political to the economic to its overall impact on the Boston community. Support for the bid started out strong and was followed by a rapid decline. As of April 2015, it stands at around 40 percent support.
While the Olympics often bring a sense of patriotism and pride to that city, it seems as though Boston residents have used those sentiments to rally against the bid. Boston2024 continues to move forward, up against a vocal organization called No Boston Olympics. Major factors in the dissent include transportation, housing, economy, and legacy.
The Boston2024 committee, trying to regain public trust, announced in March 2015 that the City will place an Olympics referendum on the November 2016 ballot. If the group does not get majority approval by Boston and Massachusetts voters, they will abandon the bid, according to Boston2024 chairman John Fish.
Boston is currently up against Hamburg, Germany, Paris, France, and Rome, Italy.
In 2017, the International Olympic Committee will select its host city for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
