Senate Votes To Study Boston Olympics
The Senate voted 38-1 Tuesday to pass a resolve to study the feasibility of hosting the 2024 summer Olympics in Massachusetts.
The resolve creates a nine-member commission and charges it with reporting back by March 1, 2014 after examining the prospects of working with other New England states and examining impacts on infrastructure, transportation, lodging, event locations, security, costs and benefits.
The commission would include three gubernatorial appointees, including one who is a member of the Boston 2024 Organizing Committee, two appointees each for the Senate president and House speaker, and one appointee each for the House and Senate minority leaders.
While acknowledging risks including potentially “humbling” costs, resolve sponsor Sen. Eileen Donoghue, D-Lowell, said the Olympics could create investments in infrastructure, thousands of jobs, and an “amplified international profile that will keep people visiting and investing” in Massachusetts after the Olympics are over.
Donoghue also recalled this year’s bombings at the Boston Marathon, another international event.
“I believe that in the spirit of Boston Strong and the extraordinary response our community has had to these heartrending events it is significant and very right that we continue together to discuss whether and how to host the Olympics and to show the world how extraordinary our city and commonwealth and people are,” Donoghue said, asserting the Olympics “could rejuvenate and revitalize our great commonwealth.”
Encouraging quick work, Donoghue said the U.S. Olympic Committee wants a short list of potential U.S. host cities by the end of this year and would like to decide which city to recommend in 2014.
The bill permits the commission to receive and spend grants, gifts, contributions and volunteer services from individuals, corporations, foundations and government entities.
The resolve calls for the commission to hold its firsts official meeting by Sept. 30. It moves to the House for consideration.
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