(ATR) Leaders of the Boston 2024 bid believe public support will only go up as time goes on.
Executive vice president of the bid Erin Murphy told Around the Rings that the group is "very pleased" by a poll showing that 55 percent of Massachusetts residents support bidding for the Olympics.
"We believe as the public begins to take part in the extensive community and outreach meetings that are planned that support will grow even stronger," Murphy told ATR by email.
Boston 2024 will begin is public outreach, with a meeting on Jan. 21. ATR will be on the scene covering the event.
Before the first meeting, Boston 2024 will release the presentation made to the United States Olympic Committee on Dec. 16 in Redwood City, California.
"Boston 2024 is committed to an open civic engagement process and looks forward to our first community meeting," Murphy said.
In addition to Boston 2024’s meeting, Mayor Marty Walsh will promote the bid through 9 public meetings in 2015.
In an effort to increase transparency, Boston 2024 will release as many documents as it can to the media. Only documents that contain "limited proprietary information" will not be released according to Murphy.
Referendum Unlikely
Boston 2024 does not believe a referendum on the bid will come to a ballot.
Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker said on Jan. 15, that if enough signatures were collected a referendum on the bid was still possible.
"Like any other major development proposal in the state there will be exhaustive public input and discussion," Murphy said.
"Normally referendums are not used in such developments and we would not expect them to be used here."
Baseball Team Okays Stadium Use
Boston’s Major League Baseball team, the Red Sox, would go on a road trip in 2024 so that Fenway Park could host Olympic baseball.
The deal was reported on Jan. 16 by the Boston Herald.
"[Red Sox owner John Henry] agreed to send the team on a long road trip in summer 2024," Boston 2024 leader Dan O’Connell told the Herald.
For the scenario to play out, baseball/softball would have to re-enter the Olympic program. The sports were last in the Olympic program in 2008 in Beijing, but the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms allow for host cities to add sports at their own discretion.
In 1996, Atlanta's baseball team, the Braves, went on an 18-day road trip while the city hosted the Olympics.
Written by Aaron Bauer
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
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