Boston To U.S. Olympic Committee: No Thanks

I don't think this is as serious as the media is reporting it. This is posturing. The committee wants Boston to hurry up and sign a host city agreement that includes a provision to pay for cost overruns (of which, there will be many, of course). The mayor has to put on a big show of pretending to care about it.

Walsh made his announcement at a hastily called news conference that coincided with Gov. Charlie Baker's meeting with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The USOC was pressing Baker for assurances that he would back the bid, but Baker said he couldn't do it until he saw a detailed report about the games from a consulting group. That report isn't expected until next month.

Olympic bids need strong support from key city leaders. The USOC board was meeting later Monday to discuss the future of the bid. Baker's recalcitrance, combined with an about-face from a previously supportive Walsh, gives the board an opening to pull the plug on Boston, where public support has lagged.

The deadline for nominating a U.S. city is September 15, but the committee is eager to get an agreement now. Los Angeles is waiting in the wings.

Andy tells me "the idea of hosting the Olympics is about as popular as the clap up here in Boston. We've seen this movie before." Like this junk-punch op-ed.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 01:20 PM

| Access Comments