citylover94
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I think Boston is somewhat underrated in certain parts of the USA and well known in Europe. Outside of that it is hard to tell.
^ That's interesting. I find that Boston is one East-coast stop of very many travelers from Europe. Maybe they don't know the names of the sights, but they do come...
^ That's interesting. I find that Boston is one East-coast stop of very many travelers from Europe. Maybe they don't know the names of the sights, but they do come...
I've heard the same thing in Europe, actually. A guy in France once told me that Boston was the only American city he liked. Not much of a sample, of course.
According to page 3 of this PDF, NYC gets over 7x as many overseas tourists as Boston. Hosting the Olympics would certainly narrow that gap.
According to page 3 of this PDF, NYC gets over 7x as many overseas tourists as Boston. Hosting the Olympics would certainly narrow that gap.
As I've said a million times before as someone who actually dealt with tourists in Faneuil Hall for 5 years on a daily basis, there are tons that come from all over the world, not just Europe, and mostly all have high opinions of our city. Europeans in particular really love us. I also remember asking a couple from India what brought them to Boston and they responded simply with "Vacation. We wanted to see Boston!" I got the same response from couples from Australia too. Yes, people from Australia come to Boston just to visit, not just for conventions or meetings.
And New York is more than ten times larger. Boston punches above its weight. People come here for all manner of reasons -- commerce, tourism, education. We are a city that works well for visiting.
That PDF proves we're on par with Chicago for int'l tourism in terms of visitor numbers. It's not all doom and gloom for Boston's international tourist scene.
Here's some quick ratio math I just did:
NYC Population: 8.406 mil. Int'l NYC Tourists: 9.579 mil. For every resident there are 1.14 int'l tourists in NYC.
Chicago Population: 2.719 mil. Int'l Chicago tourists: 1.378. For every resident there are 0.51 int'l tourists in Chicago.
Boston Population: 0.646 mil. Int'l Boston tourists: 1.282. For every resident there are 1.98 int'l tourists in Boston.
According to page 3 of this PDF, NYC gets over 7x as many overseas tourists as Boston. Hosting the Olympics would certainly narrow that gap.
It's New York Fucking City. We don't want to close that gap. And we shouldn't feel bad that one of the Capitals of the World and our Nation's Capital attract more international travelers than the Hub.
How does this relate to the Boston case? The Boston Olympic plan is for Mass and Boston to spend $5bn developing infrastructure over the next 10 years independently of the Olympics, presumably with the public realizing an equivalent value in improved infrastructure. A private organization will then spend $4.5bn to build the Olympic venues and run the games by leveraging off the infrastructure the state will have built (but without changing its purpose or specifically controlling it). In exchange this private org will get the ticket revenue, broadcast revenue, University endowment money for venue construction, corporate sponsorships, and presumably some government grants to offset its costs. Critically important it will also presumably receive an undefined contribution for security from all levels of US government.
The hope is that the private org will 'break-even' while running the event. When London's operating and capital budget increased before the games the UK government (after much political debate) increased the budget. What will Boston/Mass do if the private org's budget increases?
I think Boston is somewhat underrated in certain parts of the USA and well known in Europe. Outside of that it is hard to tell.
Folks here's my suggestions for olympic venues :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/421232151358822/
let me know what you think
A lot can be done to improve the city and such.
We dont need to build the stadium @ Widett Circle and displace workers.
the Olympic Stadium can be built @ Harvard Stadium add 40000-50000 seat,s a new RETRACTABLE roof - and press box level - and you have CoLLIER MEMORIAL OLYMPIC STADIUM (Collier, Crimson Memorial Olympic Stadium) named after Officer Sean Collier of the MIT police killed in the marathon bombing---) stadium could be designed similar to a mini version of Lukas Oil Stadium in indianapolis or the New Minnesota Vikings Stadium - for football - it could end up hosting concerts, REVS soccer, as a PERMANENT REVENUE making venue and be a world class Stadium for Harvard Football and athletics. It would be walkable from West Allston Station and weeks footbridge to Harvard T Station. Could host a super bowl, NCAA Final Four, Wrestlemania, NCAA college football national championships and more as well as the 2024 Games. Would be better to have a cheaper, more permanent solution that would bring in revenue for the city and not displace workers and help the university with a new track and world class venue. You could have an athletes village with the new Barrys corner development and the CSX Rail yard and develop a Beach Volleyball venue, Velodrome, Aquatics Center and Tennis Complex on the site of the present fields by soldiers field road and the CSX rail yard area and over the mass pike. could be connected via walking paths and arch bridges to the walkways along the charles which would be renovated and also to commonwealth avenue and nickerosn field/agganis arena which would also be olympic venues providing a wlakway down to kenmore square and fenway park. The West Allston T station would serve the area and the Harvard T station.