The recent decision of the US Olympic Committee to select Boston as America’s host city for the 2024 Summer Olympics bid has a lot of Bostonians in a tizzy.
Unlike a lot of people who are critical of the city’s bid, I’ve actually lived in a city that prepared for Summer Olympics and experienced that city’s Olympic games. I understand that the process up until now has bypassed many of the citizens who call Boston home and there is concern our money could be put to better use. However, I see this as an amazing opportunity and therein lies my beef with Bostonians who have already decided this is somehow a terrible fate.
First, there is no guarantee that Boston will host the 2024 Summer Olympics, but by being the US Olympic Committee’s host city, we get quite a bit of attention and we can start to think and imagine what those games might look like and the infrastructure that we would need to have in place. By infrastructure, I mean the investments that will need to be made in our roads, public transportation, airport, additional hotel space, etc…, which benefit us all long after the summer games.
Additionally the Olympic Games will spur the city and region into action and that can potentially benefit all of us far beyond 2024. I recognize pitfalls have bedeviled many host cities but those failures offer us lessons in what not do just as past successes in cities like Barcelona, Atlanta and London offer insights into what does work.
Let’s focus on how we can make this an opportunity that helps bring more tourists, conventions, businesses and people to Boston. The Olympic Games remains an amazing opportunity and spotlight for Boston. How we leverage that opportunity will ultimately decide if Boston 2024 is good or bad for the city.
My two cents.
Part of the Boston Marathon experience is the build up of excitement, starting the weekend before, as tens of thousands of visitors come to Boston ahead of the race, which takes place this Monday. One of those events that is fun to check out (and free) is the three-day John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo at the Hynes Expo in Back Bay. Last year, more than 100,000 attendees participated.
BosGuy 