• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The 2024 Olympics US city candidate is...Boston

Status
Not open for further replies.

Faddy

Banned
Will Boston have to build Facilities to accommodate the olympics to only have them go into terrible disrepair because no one uses them?

They don't have to let stadiums fall into disrepair, they could build a stadium that can be developed for multiple use, for example moving the Revolution into the stadium and away from the hell hole of foxborough or have BC use it. There are plenty of preexisting venues, they probably need a velodrome and an aquatics centre.

If you want to do the games efficiently it can be done. Glasgow held the Commonwealth Games, smaller in scale and missing a few events but an existing stadium was refitted, a swimming centre and a sports multiplex (which included a velodrome) which the city needed regardless and an athletes village built to regenerate a deprived area. Everything will be used for decades to come.

London is doing ok with keeping their infrastructure going even if it cost too much. What you don't want to do is an Athens Olympics where they built everything way out of the city and have it fall into disuse. There are plenty of colleges that can make good use of facilities in Boston.

The main thing that will cause overspending is consultant firms, management firms and security where the contracts seem to go people friendly with organising committee.
 

terrisus

Member
NYC is heavily preplanned.

But it is a windshield perspective. Not an actual mobility perspective.

Well, sure. I didn't say that something being the opposite of that automatically made them good. But, it just seems like a list which was heavily impacted by factors which a city doesn't really have too much control over at this point in time.

You make it sound like bodies of water, inclement winter weather, and haphazard planning don't impact one's ability to navigate. Obviously you can throw out the cold weather stuff since it will be summer.

Sure, they can impact them, but they're not some be-all end-all important things. For instance, with water - does it say anything about how often the water is crossed by bridges? Or how many roads are impacted by water? Etc.
 
Where would Opening/Closing Ceremonies/Track and Field be? Gillette?
Does Boston have an indoor cycling and world class pool stadium?

Most cities don't have those kind of niche buildings.

i assume they'd be at gillette yes.

you'd have to build some things but come on.
 

KHarvey16

Member
They don't have to let stadiums fall into disrepair, they could build a stadium that can be developed for multiple use, for example moving the Revolution into the stadium and away from the hell hole of foxborough or have BC use it. There are plenty of preexisting venues, they probably need a velodrome and an aquatics centre.

If you want to do the games efficiently it can be done. Glasgow held the Commonwealth Games, smaller in scale and missing a few events but an existing stadium was refitted, a swimming centre and a sports multiplex (which included a velodrome) which the city needed regardless and an athletes village built to regenerate a deprived area. Everything will be used for decades to come.

London is doing ok with keeping their infrastructure going even if it cost too much. What you don't want to do is an Athens Olympics where they built everything way out of the city and have it fall into disuse. There are plenty of colleges that can make good use of facilities in Boston.

The main thing that will cause overspending is consultant firms, management firms and security where the contracts seem to go people friendly with organising committee.

The current proposal doesn't include much building. A temporary stadium in south Boston for the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field, and the Olympic village near UMass Boston that would become student housing after. Seems like just about everything else would take place in existing facilities.
 

shira

Member
i assume they'd be at gillette yes.

you'd have to build some things but come on.
I'm not sure you can convert that into a full 800m track with field facilities.

Field size is only 115 yd × 75 yd and it would probably be one of the soccer/rugby stadiums.

It says on wikipedia that they can convert it into soccer but only has 20k seats. . .

They would need a 60-100k person track stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies. Gotta sell those $2000 tickets.
 
I'm not sure you can convert that into a full 800m track with field facilities.

Field size is only 115 yd × 75 yd and it would probably be one of the soccer/rugby stadiums.

It says on wikipedia that they can convert it into soccer but only has 20k seats. . .

They would need a 60-100k person track stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies. Gotta sell those $2000 tickets.

The current proposal doesn't include much building. A temporary stadium in south Boston for the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field, and the Olympic village near UMass Boston that would become student housing after. Seems like just about everything else would take place in existing facilities.

there you go.
 

Arc

Member
As someone who lives in the South Boston area... FUCK. No one in Boston wants this. Sure it would be cool, but it will be a giant clusterfuck if Boston gets the games.
 
Oh god.

I don't live in Boston now, just north of it, but in a decade I might have a job near it or in it.

This is something I don't want. Will Boston at least rebuild it's rail system for this event?
 

Arc

Member
Oh god.

I don't live in Boston now, just north of it, but in a decade I might have a job near it or in it.

This is something I don't want. Will Boston at least rebuild it's rail system for this event?

Seeing as though Government Center will be closed for the next two years as it is, probably. The T needs it.
 

vatstep

This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
As a Boston resident, my thoughts:

Cr5OKDj.gif


Really, though, I get that it's still an extreme longshot, so I'll have my fingers permanently crossed for the next year or three. Plus I'll probably be dead by then anyway.
 

xbhaskarx

Member
I hope this improves the chances of the Krafts building a soccer stadium for the New England Revolution in Boston...


Absolutely not. Southies want that small soccer stadium for the Revolution on that lot, not a one time use track and field stadium.

I thought the two would be adjacent to each other? Would they be competing over the same piece of land?

Edit:
Business leaders are also checking out adjacent land as the potential site for an Olympic Stadium should Boston be chosen to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Edit:
The Frontage Road location is adjacent to an industrial area that the group organizing Boston’s efforts to host the 2024 Summer Olympics had identified as a potential location for the main Olympics stadium. Kraft is also a member of the Olympics group.

Although some people familiar with the discussions said the Kraft proposal could conflict with the Olympic group’s efforts for the bigger stadium, others said there is enough room in the area to accommodate both facilities. The Olympic committee is focusing on a site on Widett Circle, just to the south of the city property, that hosts a collection of food wholesalers.
 

Arc

Member
I hope this improves the chances of the Krafts building a soccer stadium for the New England Revolution in Boston...

This will destroy that. The soccer stadium would be great and help that part of the city.

A one time use opening ceremony stadium in that spot would be a waste. The shitty part is no one that lives in Boston wants the Olympics. The construction companies and hotels all do.

Edit: I'm under the impression it's one lot being discussed. I don't know how they would have the space for both.
 

Amory

Member
As someone who lives in the South Boston area... FUCK. No one in Boston wants this. Sure it would be cool, but it will be a giant clusterfuck if Boston gets the games.

I live in Southie and I want the Olympics...

Fuck it, YOLO :-D :-D
 
Whooooooooooooooooooooo

There's only a couple of new things I think that we would actually need to build, like a velodrome.

Hopefully if it goes through it gets the soccer stadium in city limits done, and moves the Revs out of Gillette.
 
Well... this guarantees that the USA will not get the Summer games until 2028. Boston will need a lot of help to carry momentum against the likes of South Africa, Rome, Qatar, etc.

It just doesn't have the pull of the other 3 US cities that were bidding.
 
Well... this guarantees that the USA will not get the Summer games until 2028. Boston will need a lot of help to carry momentum against the likes of South Africa, Rome, Qatar, etc.

It just doesn't have the pull of the other 3 US cities that were bidding.

Doesn't have the pull... Yet it beat those three cities. Sound logic.

Boston is incredibly underrated as a city on this forum I've noticed. Let's bring it here!
 
Doesn't have the pull... Yet it beat those three cities. Sound logic.

Boston is incredibly underrated as a city on this forum I've noticed. Let's bring it here!

Who cares what the USOC chooses? Games didn't go to Adelaide or Guangzhou, they went to Beijing and Sydney (premier cities in their respective countries). Chicago got destroyed despite having a pretty good bid for the 2016 games!

What makes you think Boston will fare better? It's true that part of the deal with Chicago involved some politics around the share of revenue to USOC from the US TV deal, IIRC, but I just doubt Boston will prepare a good enough bid to compete against first-timers like South Africa or a classic venue like Rome. Chicago had a rock solid bid, in fact the best out of the 4 finalists, and lost in embarrassing fashion.

Also, as time goes on, the bargaining power of the USOC is depreciating as TV deals across the world are getting richer thereby reducing IOC's dependence on US TV deals.
 

terrisus

Member
It just doesn't have the pull of the other 3 US cities that were bidding.

What makes you think Boston will fare better? It's true that part of the deal with Chicago involved some politics around the share of revenue to USOC from the US TV deal, IIRC, but I just doubt Boston will prepare a good enough bid to compete against first-timers like South Africa or a classic venue like Rome. Chicago had a rock solid bid, in fact the best out of the 4 finalists, and lost in embarrassing fashion.

image.php
 

KHarvey16

Member
Who cares what the USOC chooses? Games didn't go to Adelaide or Guangzhou, they went to Beijing and Sydney (premier cities in their respective countries). Chicago got destroyed despite having a pretty good bid for the 2016 games!

What makes you think Boston will fare better? It's true that part of the deal with Chicago involved some politics around the share of revenue to USOC from the US TV deal, IIRC, but I just doubt Boston will prepare a good enough bid to compete against first-timers like South Africa or a classic venue like Rome. Chicago had a rock solid bid, in fact the best out of the 4 finalists, and lost in embarrassing fashion.

Also, as time goes on, the bargaining power of the USOC is depreciating as TV deals across the world are getting richer thereby reducing IOC's dependence on US TV deals.

You just doubt because...reasons.
 

Blader

Member
I don't know anything about the bidding process but how does a city "lose in embarrassing fashion"? Do they rack up scores and Chicago posted a zero or something?
 

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
Hey, this topic got me to look up whether or not the Big Dig ever got finished. It actually did, back in 2007!
 

terrisus

Member
Hey, this topic got me to look up whether or not the Big Dig ever got finished. It actually did, back in 2007!

And, despite all of the stuff leading up to it/involved in it, which is fully deserving of ridicule...
The actual results are great!
 

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
And, despite all of the stuff leading up to it/involved in it, which is fully deserving of ridicule...
The actual results are great!

win win, except for that fatal tunnel collapse in 06. That sucks.

I don't quite know how hot it gets in Boston in the summer. Does the NE area generally have most of the kind of terrain needed for all the sports?
 
I don't know anything about the bidding process but how does a city "lose in embarrassing fashion"? Do they rack up scores and Chicago posted a zero or something?

4 finalists are shortlisted by the IOC based on some preliminary voting. Then, the final vote takes place on one day in a knockout format (3 rounds, the last city eliminated after each round).

For the 2016 games, it was Chicago, Rio, Madrid and Tokyo. Chicago was somewhat the overwhelming favorite given the solid and realistic bid, high profile and strong local support (Obama, who had just been voted in as president, was a big supporter) and low execution risk (especially compared to the eventual winner, Rio). Madrid was somewhat a pipe dream given London was awarded 2012 and the IOC hates going to the same continent twice in a row. As for Tokyo, I recall a good bid overall plagued by poor local support.

Anyway, as it turned out, the favorite on paper got knocked out in the first round of the final voting! Given IOC corruption and politics, I just doubt Boston will be awarded the games. Recent history re: FIFA World Cup shenanigans also confirm it. Despite having the best bid on paper, the US lost to... Qatar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Summer_Olympics
 

Sanjuro

Member
Well... this guarantees that the USA will not get the Summer games until 2028. Boston will need a lot of help to carry momentum against the likes of South Africa, Rome, Qatar, etc.

It just doesn't have the pull of the other 3 US cities that were bidding.

I mean, if we were making a Far Cry game then sure.
 
win win, except for that fatal tunnel collapse in 06. That sucks.

I don't quite know how hot it gets in Boston in the summer. Does the NE area generally have most of the kind of terrain needed for all the sports?

mid 90s are usually the worst it gets

and yes
 

KHarvey16

Member
4 finalists are shortlisted by the IOC based on some preliminary voting. Then, the final vote takes place on one day in a knockout format (3 rounds, the last city eliminated after each round).

For the 2016 games, it was Chicago, Rio, Madrid and Tokyo. Chicago was somewhat the overwhelming favorite given the solid and realistic bid, high profile and strong local support (Obama, who had just been voted in as president, was a big supporter) and low execution risk (especially compared to the eventual winner, Rio). Madrid was somewhat a pipe dream given London was awarded 2012 and the IOC hates going to the same continent twice in a row. As for Tokyo, I recall a good bid overall plagued by poor local support.

Anyway, as it turned out, the favorite on paper got knocked out in the first round of the final voting! Given IOC corruption and politics, I just doubt Boston will be awarded the games. Recent history re: FIFA World Cup shenanigans also confirm it. Despite having the best bid on paper, the US lost to... Qatar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Summer_Olympics

So if it comes down to the corruption of the IOC, why would it be better to pick any of the other cities?
 

t26

Member
Who cares what the USOC chooses? Games didn't go to Adelaide or Guangzhou, they went to Beijing and Sydney (premier cities in their respective countries). Chicago got destroyed despite having a pretty good bid for the 2016 games!

What makes you think Boston will fare better? It's true that part of the deal with Chicago involved some politics around the share of revenue to USOC from the US TV deal, IIRC, but I just doubt Boston will prepare a good enough bid to compete against first-timers like South Africa or a classic venue like Rome. Chicago had a rock solid bid, in fact the best out of the 4 finalists, and lost in embarrassing fashion.

Also, as time goes on, the bargaining power of the USOC is depreciating as TV deals across the world are getting richer thereby reducing IOC's dependence on US TV deals.

Atlanta got the game in 1996
 
So if it comes down to the corruption of the IOC, why would it be better to pick any of the other cities?

Because, as I said, the US hasn't been on the right side of it over the past decade or so. More than happy to see the US win, but I truly doubt it will happen, especially as IOC/FIFA like to award the events to countries that haven't hosted yet.

Atlanta got the game in 1996

Sure. Bidding was in 1989-1990... the world has changed since.
 

KHarvey16

Member
Because, as I said, the US hasn't been on the right side of it over the past decade or so. More than happy to see the US win, but I truly doubt it will happen, especially as IOC/FIFA like to award the events to countries that haven't hosted yet.

You're not making any sense. You started off with how the US won't win because we picked Boston. Now the US won't win because the IOC is corrupt. Does picking LA make them less corrupt? Does picking a better city, in your estimation, make it more likely they choose us despite the arguments you've made about how the best options lose?

You're kind of all over the place.
 
You're not making any sense. You started off with how the US won't win because we picked Boston. Now the US won't win because the IOC is corrupt. Does picking LA make them less corrupt? Does picking a better city, in your estimation, make it more likely they choose us despite the arguments you've made about how the best options lose?

You're kind of all over the place.

Yeah, sorry about that. It's a bit of both actually. Corruption will make it much harder for the US to land an event (although there's been a truce with the IOC following the renewal of the TV contract and agreement on the revenue split), but I don't think Boston gives them the best chance, unless they put forward an amazing bid together. Chicago had the latter and not the former going for it and it lost badly.

It also depends who bids. If South Africa bids, it's hard to see past them (given they hosted the World Cup before). Same for Qatar who will host the 2022 World Cup (despite them wanting to shift the games outside of the usual period due to the weather, which the IOC doesn't like - going to be hard to turn dat oil & gas money away)
 

ATF487

Member
I hope I'm not living here in 2024*, but hopefully this is an excuse to improve some infrastructure, even if they're not currently planning on it. Imagine coming to the Olympics and getting on the Green Line. Fuck's sake.

*Boston is a good city but that onion article is almost perfect. It feels like a starter city for young professionals
 
Chicago had a rock solid bid, in fact the best out of the 4 finalists, and lost in embarrassing fashion.

No shame in losing to Tokyo.

That song would work better if Boston got the Paralympic Games instead :p

Host city has to host both they olympics and paralympics. No one really covers the paralympics though. NBC-Sports will do like a 1 hour recap of the paralympic fortnight after its over though
 

Amir0x

Banned
Fuck yes, thank the Gods it's not LA. And I live close enough to Boston to actually consider going there!

I would have preferred one of the other cities to Boston (other than LA), but there is a distinctive upside of being nearby (within 6 hours) for me
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom