Boston 2020 Olympics

Boston has insufficient drive to do what needs doing for an Olympics.

Visiting Olympic Committee members will immediately see that these days it really thinks small-time.
 
ablarc said:
Boston has insufficient drive to do what needs doing for an Olympics.

Visiting Olympic Committee members will immediately see that these days it really thinks small-time.
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^^Ja, probably the biggest hurdle right there...if we are just talking city government.

Then again all official work to this point has been done by members of the State House....if people can use the State Gov as a fillip for action it might help.

Boston does benefit with it being a major city and also a state and regional capital. There is perhaps more of an intimate connection between the success of the city and the state/region as a whole. So getting more ambitious politicians on board is a possibility.

Though I am just referring to putting together a quality bid...not necessarily winning it...
 
With Teddy gone the State is going to do whatever it can to prove it still has luster, importance. What better way than to lure in an international games event? Could this be John Kerry's legacy?

While Chicago was overly confident about it's ability to host the Olympics (the Obama fly in/fly out speech was downright embarrassing for Chicago), Boston seems too insecure. This is why NYC will bid again and likely host the event. They know exactly who they are.
 
This is why NYC will bid again and likely host the event. They know exactly who they are.
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True, but they still can't seem to pull together the practical necessities involved in hosting a games. The 2012 stadium was a clusterfuck, the 7 line extension was a clusterfuck, the Second Avenue Subway has taken 80 years from conception to groundbreaking, the rest of the subway still uses wiring from ca. 1913, "direct rail" to the airport requires a long subway ride and connection in remote parts of Queens, and the WTC site may never sprout steel in our lifetimes.

The government situation is the opposite of here - the city pretty much works, but the state legislature is a carnival of childish games being played between the parties while nothing gets done. In fact, most of NYC's problems - the MTA (a state agency), the WTC - are the result of state incompetence and inaction. Beyond that, Upstate demands some massive tribute for anything that goes to benefit NYC, and the whole state will complain that NJ will see all kinds of tangible economic benefits without contributing a dime to the cost.

It's not just Boston; no place in this country can get anything done anymore. The entirety of California is crumbling. Florida is a giant, foreclosed trailer park. What does that leave? Texas? Nothing more needs to be said about that.
 
czsz said:
the WTC site may never sprout steel in our lifetimes.
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At the risk of defending NYC:

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Lrfox said:
It's not just the tourists... it's upgrades that we could use for a LOOOONG time. The city would be much more likely to extend the Blue Line to Lynn, Green Line to Malden/Medford, Blue/Red Line Connector, and commuter rail upgrades. They'd be quick to improve and add bike lanes and pedestrian crossing infrastructure (i.e. better "Walk" signals) to show just how "with it" Boston is. All of those infrastructure projects we'd all be thrilled to see would probably happen. And yes, of course it would be a great marketing opportunity for Boston. However, it's been mentioned that it simply won't happen under the current regime.
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I think it's sad that in order to achieve upgrades and expand mass transit lines we'd have to host an Olympics. Believe me I'd love to see all the upgrades you listed plus the rebuilding/fixing of certain bridges in and around the city. I just don't think you need to be in the running to host an Olympic Games to get them. Maybe in this city you'd need the incentive and I guess that's my problem. It's basically saying "Unless we get an Olympics, it's not worth it just to make the city better." Like the residents of the city and surrounding area(s) aren't worth it, but the tourists the games bring, would be.

I also think the Barcelona effect is an anomaly and doesn't happen in every host city. Sure, Boston could use the positive pub of a successful Olympic Games. I'm just not sure it'd be the same effect as Barcelona.

And borrowing any substancial amount of money to host a games would be ridiculous. The city is already out of money, we don't need to be put into debt for the next generation just to host 2 weeks of Olympic Events.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see the Olympics in Boston. I just don't think it's feesable right now. I'm sure the economy will turn around and maybe an Olympics in the U.S. would be a good celebration of that. I just wish we could get things done in terms of making the city better via mass transit improvements and infrastructure upgrades without the promise or hope of hosting an Olympic games.
 
All you naysayers to a 2020 games in Boston..........are entirely correct. Boston doesn't have the will to go for it unless Mumbles decides HE wants it. Someone earlier said maybe in a generation or two...and that is probably accurate.

But one can dream. With the exception of San Fran or Chicago....there is no better site for the next Olympics in the USA. New York is a place unto itself and is soooo big and just unsuited for this kind of thing. The super cities of the world are the ones bidding lately but in reality, it is Boston, Barcelona, Calgary, Nagano, and Vancouver in February that make a memorable event....the 2nd tier cities.
 
NYC could hold the Olympic Games in a new and improved Flushing Meadows. Plans to renovate the Worlds Fair monuments have already been proposed.
 
You know if Boston did want the Olympics really bad we could always build that proposed island in the middle of the Charles. Extend the Blue Line to MGH, through to a stop on the island, and a connection to Kenmore which then could take over the D line. Build the Dartmouth Street bridge to connect the island to Boston proper and the Cambridge. The stadium could be shrunk to accommodate the Revolution following the games. Additionally, the surrounding Olympic Village would become a highly desirable destination neighborhood that generates significant economy activity and tax revenue.

Of course the evironmentalist whiners and the Back Back Bay Back Street water view snobs would throw a tizzy. NO SHADOWS ON THE WATER!!!!!
 
We keep talking about state and local funding, but I have to believe the feds kick in a fair share, no? Does anyone have an idea of how much the Feds kicked into Atlanta and how much they were planning to help out with Chicago?
 
As I said in another thread, they're apparently barred from funding it other than providing security.
 
I think that building too many Olympic venues in the Seaport would leave us a desolate wasteland like we have now, only it would be harder to redevelop them.
 
AmericanFolkLegend said:
Smallest park in the league but 8th highest attendance. NYC, Philadelphia and Chicago (NL) are the only mass transit dependent cities that averaged higher attendance per game. I've been to games in all those stadiums and really only the Yankee's game wasn't a complete clusterfuck of a train ride and that's probably because I went on a Sunday. I'm no Green Line apologist, but I think packed mass transit is pretty common 7PM games in a urban stadium on a week day.
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I'm fortunate and don't deal with the Green Line to get home, but I know too many GL colleagues who live and die by the Sox schedule. They either come/leave early on games days or come/leave late. So, while the 5-7 crowd is filled higher than usual with game-goers, it's less than it should be. There's simply no more capacity to be had in the central subway and residents have evolved/adjusted in response.

Also: if we all thought Boston was a dead zone due to residents fleeing down the cape during the DNC, think what it'd be during the Olympics. I can't see how higher hotel prices, CoL, construction inconvenience, and every other "con" can be absorbed by a city/region just barely staying above water as it is. We've been lucky. Why press it? I don't see the Barcelona effect striking again in the near term (15-25 years) due to economy.

Finally, a question for the forum: candidates who'd spearhead the construction campaign? It'd be something on the scale/cost/complexity of the Big Dig, right? (competitive facilities, infrastructure improvements, the Olympic Village) I'd think someone with relationships with the mayor, legislature, and with some national/international standing would need to be brought in.
 
Why doesn't Boston bid for a Pan-American Games or something? Way less of a challenge.
 
In the short-term, the Pan-American Games make sense. I'd like to see a few other big events, too. While we still have the BCS, why not take advantage and host one of those? MLS championships? Lacrosse does everything they can here-we've hosted MLL Allstar and Championship Weekend, and the NCAA Championships twice. We already had the Volvo Race stopover.

In the long term, Boston could, should, and will host an Olympic games. Not 2020 though.
 
kennedy said:
In the long term, Boston could, should, and will host an Olympic games. Not 2020 though.
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WHY THE HELL NOT?!? It would be nice if for once the people on this board didn't spew off pessimism about the past, present, and future of this city. It's more than a decade away for god's sake!!

The biggest problem with this city is not uninspired leadership, but uninspired citizens! Everyone claims to love Boston, but when a great opportunity presents itself, we all write it off as impossible.

Realize that you live a a great city that is more than capable of hosting the 2020 Olympics. If Salt Lake can do it, if Atlanta can do it, if RIO--with all its problems--can do it...I want ONE good reason why it so impossible for Boston to think about it until 100 years down the line.

If you ask your leadership to take a stand, I assure you they will at least try. If you sit on your ass and complain, don't be surprised when this city goes nowhere.

The US is as good as guaranteed to host 2020 and this city has all the ingredients for a successful Olympics: good, yes GOOD, infrastructure, 99% existing venues (Olympic stadium is only one lacking), and the potential to truly explode onto the global scene post-Olympics. The possibility is there, for once have faith in this city.
 
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