The U.S. Olympic Committee announced Thursday that Boston will bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Four contenders -- Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. -- were all vying for the honor to be considered by the International Olympic Committee, which is expected to make a final decision in 2017. Boston will now be up against international competition including Rome; either Berlin or Hamburg in Germany; a city in South Africa; and possibly Paris.
"@USOlympic: The USOC selects Boston as U.S. bid to host the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games http://t.co/jTNgqZTQyJ pic.twitter.com/NpUMm9V23d"— Anne Radzanowski (@anne_razz) January 8, 2015
Boston is no stranger to hosting major events, such as the Boston Marathon. The city implemented extra security for the 2014 marathon after the 2013 bombings at the race killed three people and wounded 264 others.
A winning bid would give Boston the opportunity to host the first Olympic games in the U.S. since the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The last summer games in the U.S. were in Atlanta in 1996. Of the four finalists, Los Angeles was the only city to have already hosted a games (twice, in 1932 and 1984).
The U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors met at the Denver International Airport on Thursday afternoon to make a final decision. Officials were expected to hold a news conference later.
The U.S.'s push for New York City to host the games in 2012 was beat out by London, and Chicago's 2016 bid lost to Rio.
.@USOlympic listening to 2024 Olympic hosting bids today. Who would you pick? #Boston2024 #DC2024 #LA2024 #SF2024 pic.twitter.com/xbxxhr4twY— USATF (@usatf) January 8, 2015
Some Bostonians welcomed the decision, while others were lukewarm to the idea.
Nobody is more happy about the Olympics coming to Boston than me! I'm so excited!!!! #Boston2024 — Emily Piangerelli (@EmPiangerelli) January 9, 2015
I'm so happy about Boston winning the U.S. 2024 Olympic bid that I don't care if I'm the only one celebrating.— Meaghan (@meaghang) January 9, 2015
I love living in Boston more than you can imagine. Lived within the city limits for most of the last 12 years. But the Olympics? Um ... OK.— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 9, 2015
Plus, Boston residents would HATE having the Summer Olympics. City is too cramped. Way too many outsiders flood the city. Who wants this?— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 8, 2015
Not everyone in Boston is excited about the prospect of hosting the biggest international sporting event. A Boston Globe editorial published before the announcement bemoaned the amount of money it could cost the city to make its case and the millions needed to host the event itself. Chicago reportedly spent $100 million in its campaign for 2016 only to eventually fall short.
Some local politicians had come out against the bid in the past month, denouncing the way the city had handled the bidding process.
Reactions of those in the cities that were passed over ranged from bitter to relieved.
The consensus in the LABJ newsroom seems to be that Boston sucks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #Olympics2024— Melissah Yang (@MelissahYang) January 9, 2015
Boston is a disappointing choice for Olympic bid compared to #LongLA. Would love to better understand the criteria?— Greg Bettinelli (@gregbettinelli) January 9, 2015
Phew. So relieved that SFO lost the Olympic bid. We don't have the space, nor should we waste the $$. Good luck Boston!— Julie Miller (@juliemiller1) January 9, 2015
Is it bad that I'm relieved DC is not the choice of the USOC for the Olympics? I just don't think it was a good idea. Yea Boston!— charlcies (@charlcies) January 9, 2015
The decision immediately spawned the hashtag #BostonOlympicsHeadlines to poke fun at the city.
Venue for hockey finals "my cousins back yahd rink" @petersagal #BostonOlympicHeadlines— Schaibly (@Schaibly) January 9, 2015
"Mascot revealed today: Honky, the angry mass pike car" #BostonOlympicHeadlines— Sean (@seanlacey) January 9, 2015
"First man who walks through Southie wearing Yankees cap wins Boxing Gold" #BostonOlympicHeadlines— Kevin Stevens (@kevdog) January 9, 2015
"IOC Declines to Add 'Dunkin Run' to List of Track and Field Events" #BostonOlympicHeadlines— Ben T (@TimminsBen) January 8, 2015