Boston 2020 Olympics

Re: Boston 2020

KentXie said:
Definitely Boston will beat out all the American City, but I wouldn't say Boston will singlehandedly beat out Toronto, considering that Toronto made it to the top 5 in the 2008 Olympic. While we may think of it as an America v Canada thing, the other people in the world don't. Toronto is an alpha city, the NYC of Canada, whereas Boston is a beta city. If Boston is committed to doing this, they will have a lot more work cut out for them and they need to start now in order to catch up. But hey it's possible, if we get a government that is determined and not so corrupt.
Click to expand...
I think he meant America vs Canada in that Vancouver is about to host the Winter Olympics, which would give Canada two olympics in a ten year period.
 
Re: Boston 2020

I think if Boson REALLY wanted the 2020 games, it could be a possibility. It will have been almost a quarter of a century since the USA hosted a summer Olympics. The only reason I see Boston not getting the nod from the USOC would be if Chicago bids again. The stadium is the only issue. Damn, if Atlanta could do it.......
 
Re: Boston 2020

We have a prime Olympic park already built, and the skeleton of an Olympic Stadium in place. It's called Harvard. At one time, it was capable of holding 57,000+. It could be adapted and renovated to hold a large audience and have all the modern touches of today's stadiums. There are facilities for every other sport surrounding it. Rowing and sailing could take place on the Charles. Olympic Village either at Charlesgate (Charlesview?) or on the river somewhere else.

There is no doubt in my mind that Boston could handle an Olympic Games. There is a question as to whether Boston would have the balls to, and whether Boston could really pull off as great an Olympics as Chicago or New York would. Actually, I think an NYC Olympics would suck, but that's besides the point.
 
Re: Boston 2020

I've heard before but can't verify that the Charles wouldn't qualify for river sports e.g. rowing because of an overabundunce of bridges in its wider parts.
 
Re: Boston 2020

The sailing events would have to be held elsewhere also, there's no way you could set a reasonable course for even the women's Laser Radials on the Charles. Sailing in Rhode Island Sound and Narragansett Bay out of Newport would seem most appropriate.
 
Would it need to be marketed as the New England olympics? Is there precedent for a region hosting as opposed to a city?
 
Justin7 said:
Could rowing events not be held in the harbor?
Click to expand...

The Merrimack/ Newburyport would seem to be an appropriate location for Rowing (and Sailing possibly, though I like NPT better for that) as well.

Many Olympic cities have certain events take place a good distance outside the city (this is most common with skiing as many host cities don't have a ski area located within the city limits).

I like Newport for the Sailing. Perhaps if that were the case it would be more incentive to build the Fall River/New Bedford commuter rail (with an extension from F.R. down to Newport)?
 
Newport hosted the America's Cup for decades so it would be the logical place for Olympic sailing.
 
Re: Boston 2020

jass said:
Where in Boston would you build a new 60,000+ stadium, and who would use it? Would the pats want to move back into the city? Maracana is used by 4 teams year round.
Click to expand...

My only thought is that this would solve the debate for a new Revs stadium in Somerville...
 
Revs may not support the idea of inheriting a stadium a 60,000 person stadium. They only want 20,000 because they know that all they can fill.
 
London Olympic stadium converts down to 20k after the olympics. Same model could be used for a somerville revs stadium...
 
I understand the civic pride sentiment in wanting the games to be in Boston. However financially, why would any of you want the Olympics in 2020?

I'm not trying to be a party pooper, but it just seems like a big waste of money to me. No matter how many tourists it draws you never make money by hosting the Olympics. Heck, you don't even come close to breaking even.

I just don't understand why people would want the Olympics here. I'd rather them spend 1% of the money fixing the infrastructure of the city.
 
Justin7 said:
Could rowing events not be held in the harbor?
Click to expand...

Rowing needs to be in a fairly controlled environment as water needs to be quite flat for competitive rowing. Olympics rowing is a 2000m sprint as opposed to the 3ish mile head races like the Head of the Charles. Some colleges do sprint races in the basin, though i don't know if it is wide enough to meet FISA regulations (likewise i don't know if the harvard bridge is a non-starter).

I think it has become the norm for Olympic sites to construct rowing venues especially for the events-- i would think there is an acceptably flat site available somewhere around here, and I imagine that the coaches at Harvard, Brown and dozens of other local and regional crews would be salivating at such a prospect.

Also, Lake Quinsigamond near Worcester currently hosts the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (the premier league of collegiate rowing) Sprint Championships every year, and I imagine would be perfectly fit to host olympic competition
 
The Atlanta Olympic stadium was also downsized and converted to the current Braves ballpark (Turner Field).
 
There's precedent for hosting games regionally, but it's usually considered a drawback. Almost every bid goes for "a compact games". Chicago's one remote site was a cycling course in Madison, Wis., and that piqued questions even during the final presentation. Cities tend to get away with this more for the Winter Games, since few are located right at the bases of mountains...which was part of why Boston was always more seriously considered for a New England winter bid.

If Boston had a site that could accommodate as many facilities as possible it could try to go for a "compact city, compact games" rationale. Maybe the Bayside Expo Center site or some reconfiguration of Columbia Point? (Doing it in Somerville would invite annoying jurisdictional issues related to cost) I imagine part of the harbor could be breakwatered off for rowing and/or sailing, as Chicago planned to do on Lake Michigan. It would be a waste to have this city with both a harbor and rowing river and then hold events in RI.
 
BostonSkyGuy said:
I understand the civic pride sentiment in wanting the games to be in Boston. However financially, why would any of you want the Olympics in 2020?

I'm not trying to be a party pooper, but it just seems like a big waste of money to me. No matter how many tourists it draws you never make money by hosting the Olympics. Heck, you don't even come close to breaking even.

I just don't understand why people would want the Olympics here. I'd rather them spend 1% of the money fixing the infrastructure of the city.
Click to expand...

Glad that you understand the pride aspect, but it is also a worldwide marketing campaign for the city. Yes there may only be a brief influx of cash during the games, and upfront debt assumed, but Boston's perception is even more enhanced and therefore becomes more appealing to investors, students, a qualified workforce, etc. in turn benefiting the economy over time.
 
Beijing 2008 games had soccer semifinal and lower games in cities all throughout China, and equestrian events in Hong Kong. By that standard, having an event in Rhode Island doesn't seem ludicrous at all.
 
Soccer is traditionally spread around cities in the host country, and maybe a couple other events as well. But Boston is a city with such a superabundance of water, including rowing and sailing venues that could be adapted, that it would seem a shame to use Rhode Island instead.

Glad that you understand the pride aspect, but it is also a worldwide marketing campaign for the city. Yes there may only be a brief influx of cash during the games, and upfront debt assumed, but Boston's perception is even more enhanced and therefore becomes more appealing to investors, students, a qualified workforce, etc. in turn benefiting the economy over time.
Click to expand...

Exactly - the Barcelona effect.
 
Boston seems like the American city that can most benefit from the Barcelona effect, since it is a historic and somewhat youthful place. By contrast, cities such as Los Angeles and Atlanta seem to have not changed much due to the Olympics. It will probably bring a change in opinions from "dated" to "hip" and from "staid" to "progressive" and "(counter)cultural mecca".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top