A Boston Bid for Olympic Games 2024
- Thread starter Batman Likes The Sox
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Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi has 40,000 seats. The Salt Lake stadium had 45,000, and Stadio Olimpico in Turin has something like 30,000 seats for soccer.Fred not Lynn said:
Fenway has 38,000 and there is really no reason not to do the old football layout for the Opening Ceremonies and tack on some seats in left field. It would seem to be easily big enough.
Another potential issue with Fenway would be a lack of infrastructure for any elaborate special effects as part of the ceremony, such as Sochi's suspension cable system. It's on the National Register of Historic Places, so any modifications to the ballpark itself -- even temporary -- would be subject to to federal bureaucratic review -- or more accurately, city and perhaps state review in accordance with federal standards. So would anything proposed as an attachment to the park: flagpoles, lighting, signage, cameras, etc.
I'm not saying it's a major roadblock, but it's just another layer of bullshit that has to be paid for, and adds another time block to the calendar. You'd have to finance a cavalcade of designers, engineers and lawyers to prepare reports and make multiple presentations at required public hearings.
Of course, just about every element of the Olympic program will need to pass through multiple stages of public hearings and governmental sign-offs, so the Fenway stuff would likely be just another deck chair on the Queen Mary.
I'm not saying it's a major roadblock, but it's just another layer of bullshit that has to be paid for, and adds another time block to the calendar. You'd have to finance a cavalcade of designers, engineers and lawyers to prepare reports and make multiple presentations at required public hearings.
Of course, just about every element of the Olympic program will need to pass through multiple stages of public hearings and governmental sign-offs, so the Fenway stuff would likely be just another deck chair on the Queen Mary.
BigMike said:
I'd love crew at the Charles, but sprint race dimension requirements might force a move to Worcester.
Bingo. I've still got the program somewhere in the house. Although I think I lost the ticket stub. Iraq v. Cameroon is who I saw
The British officials told them it was a good idea?
Sounds like the British are trying to finally get back at Boston for that Revolution thing. Well played, England. Well played.
Sounds like the British are trying to finally get back at Boston for that Revolution thing. Well played, England. Well played.
They don't do splits for Summer, just Winter, right? Because Providence could use a boost and Gillette is actually closer to it anyway.
And sailing would be in Newport with a Boston proposal, too, right? Kayaking at Olney Pond?
Dunk for Bball, Schneider for volleyball, wrestling at Pizz. Plenty of unoccupied land too. (if you just want RI to do the whole thing)
The traffic and cost nightmare (for Boston!) gets downsized.
yeah, I'm thinking too much about this, but this would be great for Boston people, no? Close enough to spectate, but lower the nightmare
And sailing would be in Newport with a Boston proposal, too, right? Kayaking at Olney Pond?
Dunk for Bball, Schneider for volleyball, wrestling at Pizz. Plenty of unoccupied land too. (if you just want RI to do the whole thing)
The traffic and cost nightmare (for Boston!) gets downsized.
yeah, I'm thinking too much about this, but this would be great for Boston people, no? Close enough to spectate, but lower the nightmare
Fred not Lynn said:
Wow. I looked up hockey for '80, and soccer and rowing for '96, but I didn't even consider anything for LA. That's pretty cool.
I've always liked the idea of doing a "New England" Olympics. Basketball in Springfield, #-athlons in NH and VT, the classic Marathon route, Foxboro for field sports, Boston for track sports, and water sports in RI.
If busses won't do, there's a ton of small airfields that the athletes could use to get around. It alleviates a lot of the infrastructure and congestion problems, while boosting exposure for the region as a whole.
If busses won't do, there's a ton of small airfields that the athletes could use to get around. It alleviates a lot of the infrastructure and congestion problems, while boosting exposure for the region as a whole.
FWIW, I'm learning that a potential 2024 Summer Games on the US East coast is very much on the radar screen of at least one company looking for a Mass. site to build rail cars for the Orange and Red lines.
As long as they don't use the same company that made these terrible Rotems, I'm willing to listen.
The Red and Orange Line cares are already due for replacement.Fred not Lynn said:
http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news_events/?id=27773
twothousandone said:
Nah, Kraft would threaten to hold the Olympics in Hartford, get the State of CT to committ a few billion to hosting it.... then have it in Boston anyway.
First off Lose and Fred I saw one of those soccer games at Harvard Stadium tooOrel Miraculous said:I thought I'd mess around with some ideas for how Boston could pull this off. Yes a number of new venues would need to be built, but not as many as you think. London used a ton of existing facilities and with all of the increasing attention on wasteful Olympic construction, the IOC may actually welcome an opportunity to show that the games can be hosted in a fiscally responsible manner.
This plan doesn't have a central "Olympic Park" but I actually think that can be seen as a good thing. The venues are somewhat spread out but are all very accessible from the CBD. No one area of the city will get completely tied up and lots of different neighborhoods get to enjoy the games.
Olympic Village: I've built it in the dead zone of rail yards and MBTA service facilities in between 93, West 4th Street, and the South Boston bypass road. This is a perfect location. It's centrally located, close to South Station and the airport, and within 20-30 minute walks from downtown, the waterfront, and Back Bay. This is also a really important development area for the city of Boston. Getting a mixed use neighborhood here would finally knit the South End and South Boston together and make the Seaport/Waterfront area more accessible.
Olympic Stadium: there's no getting around this, a new stadium would have to be built. Gillette is both too far away and too small to host track and field events. I've put the stadium in the inner belt area north of Lechmere, which has often been mentioned as a potential landing spot for the Revs. It would be cut down and converted to a 20-30,000 seat soccer stadium after the games. Assembly Square is also a good option for this.
Aquatics Center: Need a new venue here too. I've stuck it on the CSX rail yards near Nickerson Field. After the games BU get's the best the aquatics venue in the NCAA.
Velodrome: Has to be built obviously, but thankfully it's not a massive or prohibitively expensive venue. Put it in the CSX rail yards and let BU convert it to an indoor track facility after the games.
Beach Volleyball: this is my favorite one. Inspired by the awesome horse guards venue at London, I've put the court inside the fort at Castle Island. It's right on the water and the visuals would be phenomenal. This would be the hottest venue at the games.
Boston Convention Center: fencing, weightlifting, judo, taekwondo, table tennis, badminton--basically all of the small indoor sports can go here.
Gymnastics: TD Garden
Basketball: Conte Forum and TD Garden
Boxing: Agannis Arena
Wrestling: world trade center on the waterfront
Handball: Matthews Arena
Rugby Sevens: Alumni Field
Baseball: very likely that baseball and softball would be back in the games if Japan and the US hosted back to back. This is played at Fenway, obviously.
Softball: new facility built at Joe Moakley Park on the water in South Boston.
Archery: Clemente Field in the Fens
Field Hockey: refurbished White Stadium at Franklin Park
Equestrian: Franklin Park
Tennis: Longwood Cricket Club. A new 5-7,000 seat center court would need to be built here, but Boston should have one of these anyway to host future ATP and WTA events.
Golf: the Country Club
Soccer: as per tradition, the early rounds would be hosted around the country with the semis and finals at Gillette.
City Hall Plaza: medal ceremonies and concerts at night.
Press Center: Hynes Convention Center
Orel you put a ton of thought into this proposal, I love the Castle Island idea. I've always wanted to go into the fort
But....,
Many of the areas you have marked as open for development Lechmere and Assembly Sq are presently under big time construction of mixed use retail / residential projects plus Wynn's Everett casino plan buts against the Assembly Sq area
The only person pushing this right now, I know there are a bunch of wired names, but the pusher is John Fish of Suffolk Construction, gee I wonder why?
Can you imagine the graft "walking around money" to quote Vinny Piro that this would take here? Billions
This would definitely be awesome, but it could also really harm the Boston area. It's fun while it's happening but the years of construction will suck and after the games there are going to be so many building that are rarely ever used again. They usually make the town/state go bankrupt as well. With all the negative aside, East Coast summer games would be a great memory and experience!
In the least shocking news ever, the Special Commission has apparently concluded that it would be a monumental task to get Boston ready to host the Olympics. Olympic Stadium and Olympic village cited as the biggest challenges (again not surprisingly).
Oh, and the Commission didn't look at the cost of hosting the games.
Edit: I should note that the article is actually a lot more optimistic than I would have expected, and in fairness it is a monumental task for any city to host the Olympics.
Oh, and the Commission didn't look at the cost of hosting the games.
Edit: I should note that the article is actually a lot more optimistic than I would have expected, and in fairness it is a monumental task for any city to host the Olympics.
I think they could pull this off by Morrissey Blvd and the Moakley park area. There are crappy projects there in South Boston between Old Colony Ave and Dorchester Ave up to Devine Way. Knocking those down would create some space. Using the entire Moakley park for an Olympic Park along with buying the Bay Side Expo Center and the Globe/WLVI building land would free up more space as well that may create the space they need for the Olympic Stadium, Village, Broadcast center, Velodrome and Aquatics Center. JFK Umass is right there for transit.Ralphwiggum said:
much like I said about Assembly Sq and Lechmere areas, BHA is doing a total reno of the projects that run along Moakley Park, Old Harbor now, McCormick to follow. and do you seriously think the moonbats wouldnt freak about the 'working poor' folks in the projects being booted for the Olympic Athletes? you wouldn't be able to hear above the shreeking and wailing from the Brookline and Cambridge crowdjsinger121 said:
This is a nice dream but it isn't going to happen period, you think Putin and his crony's got rich on Sojhi? Boston Graft would make that look like a kids piggy bank
doldmoose34 said:
You are absolutely delusional if you think "Boston Graft" is worse than what happens in Russia. Delusional or ignorant.
Of course you also seem to think that it's a crazy position to oppose the use eminent domain to displace poor people, so maybe delusion isn't the only issue at play here.
Using the Big Dig analogy, Berkshire County's daily newspaper editorial today suggests a statewide Games would be more palatable... and feasible. Suggestions include an 80,000 seat stadium for UMass D1 football program and olympic village in Amherst area that would balance investment and solve the space crunch in/around Boston. Also, a call for the yet-to-be-licensed MGM Springfield group to make an investment in the interest of business development - which seems disingenuous, considering the paper's repeated anti-gaming stance.
With everyone and their mother dropping out of the bidding for the 2022 Winter Games, I wish Boston was bidding on that instead of the 2024 Summer games. It'd be a better fit, and San Diego is a better site for the Summer games (or really anything warm weather related. San Diego is great)
Preliminary reports have the Olympic stadium going in Cabot Yard (where I suggested the village should go) and the Village going on the Bayside Expo plot of land (which I would love so long as its subsequently turned into an amazing waterfront mixed-use neighborhood instead of dorms).
...Meanwhile, the IOC can barely give away the 2022 Winter Games. The Norwegian government has voted to pull out of the final three, leaving Almaty, Kazakhstan and Beijing. While some outlets criticize Almaty as having no real winter sport history, those in the speed skating world would disagree - the facility at nearby Medeo was an absolute Mecca for the sport in the 1970's and 80's...still, never mind the Borat jokes, Kazakhstan isn't exactly known for a leading human rights and transparent democracy record. Basically it's a deal where oil money will pay for a big party. Kind of just like Norway, minus the democracy.
Beijing is the other bidder left. The Chinese love to copy stuff, so they can just scale down and copy what they did in 2008 - and add a few venues that are a little further away. Frankly, if Beijing can do it, Boston could have (from a strictly logistical perspective. Budget and politics are another question altogether). And been less polluted.
The downside to Bejing is they'd have to round up all those dissidents from 2008 and put them back in jail. Hate to have to duplicate the effort. They're going to regret that they didn't just execute them in the first place...
If Boston REALLY wants an Olympic Games, this is the time to sneak in the back door, and offer themselves up to the IOC. The IOC has stated they're not re-opening the bidding - but, well, sometimes they lie. I am guessing right now, communications are happening. Or not, maybe IOC is just as happy with the two remaining bidders...but I doubt it. They're in less profitable time zones.
Beijing is the other bidder left. The Chinese love to copy stuff, so they can just scale down and copy what they did in 2008 - and add a few venues that are a little further away. Frankly, if Beijing can do it, Boston could have (from a strictly logistical perspective. Budget and politics are another question altogether). And been less polluted.
The downside to Bejing is they'd have to round up all those dissidents from 2008 and put them back in jail. Hate to have to duplicate the effort. They're going to regret that they didn't just execute them in the first place...
If Boston REALLY wants an Olympic Games, this is the time to sneak in the back door, and offer themselves up to the IOC. The IOC has stated they're not re-opening the bidding - but, well, sometimes they lie. I am guessing right now, communications are happening. Or not, maybe IOC is just as happy with the two remaining bidders...but I doubt it. They're in less profitable time zones.
No chance of Nice, Quebec, or Sarajevo being given a second chance?
Or hell, what about Munich for a 50th "anniversary" of sorts?
Or hell, what about Munich for a 50th "anniversary" of sorts?
Hosting an Olympic Games is rapidly becoming the domain of totalitarian states and "emerging" nations willing to blow gobs of cash to feel important.
I'm starting the Greenland 2022 committee. Might as well do it there before it's under water.
I'm starting the Greenland 2022 committee. Might as well do it there before it's under water.
Dan to Theo to Ben said:
Most places are running away from the "opportunity." Oslo, Munich, St. Moritz, Krakow, Stockholm, and Lviv have all already withdrawn their bids. Quebec and Nice have already said no. Sarajevo has the problem that it still has a bunch of things lying around from 1984 that look like this:
So it might be tough for Sarajevans to put up money for another round.
Incidentally, judging from the IOC's official statement, the IOC is pissed at Oslo:
(Source)
Sucks that Oslo bailed out. This was the Olympics that Boston should have bid for. Easier to host and as of now easier to win. I'd have to the think that Boston would have been a final 3 candidate city of they bid gon against Beijing and Oslo. They probably would have won easily over Beijing once Oslo bailed out.
Dan Wetzel has an article on the 2022 bidding.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/why-no-one-wants-to-host-the-2022-olympics-225450509.html
His closing line is great. "So China or Kazakhstan it is, the last two suckers on earth willing to step up to this carnival barker. One lucky nation will win. The other will host the 2022 Winter Olympics."
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/why-no-one-wants-to-host-the-2022-olympics-225450509.html
His closing line is great. "So China or Kazakhstan it is, the last two suckers on earth willing to step up to this carnival barker. One lucky nation will win. The other will host the 2022 Winter Olympics."
If China gets the games, you're paying for it when you buy stuff at Wal-Mart. If Kazakhstan does, you're paying for it when you buy gasoline...
cannonball 1729 said:
When I visited a few years back, I was advised not to go into the surrounding woods as there were still a lot of landmines that remained from the siege in the 90s.
