U.S. Olympic Committee selects Boston to bid for 2024 games

The United States Olympic Committee announced Thursday that it has selected Boston to bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco

The United States Olympic Committee announced Thursday that it has selected Boston to bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. 

Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. were finalists to be the U.S. choice to bid for the games. Leaders from each city made proposals to the committee in December.

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"We’re excited about our plans to submit a bid for the 2024 Games and feel we have an incredibly strong partner in Boston that will work with us to present a compelling bid," said USOC chairman Larry Probst. ​

Boston's bid for the games has been backed by a number of city politicians, as well as New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The city's proposal included the use of several local colleges and universities as host sites and highlighted the city's strong sports tradition, including events like the Boston Marathon.

There has been grassroots opposition to Boston hosting the games, primarily from a group called "No Boston Olympics." According to Boston.com, the group's co-chairs wrote a letter to the USOC in October stating their opposition in a hope to dissuade the committee to select the city as it's U.S. applicant. The group feels that hosting the Olympics would "threaten the Commonwealth's ability to make much-needed improvements in health care, education and core transportation structure."

Los Angeles hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics and also bid for the 2016 Olympics, but it was not chosen as the U.S. applicant city. L.A.'s proposal highlighted its experience with hosting the games and initial plans proposed staging events at locations such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Nokia Theatre and the Santa Monica shoreline.

San Francisco's proposal was spearheaded by Giants CEO Larry Baer and mayor Ed Lee and pointed to the city's many professional and college venues in the area, including the newly built Levi's Stadium.

Washington, D.C. previously bid for the 2012 Summer Games, which were awarded to London. Backers of the D.C. bid included former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis. Its plan included having the games mostly centered around D.C., but also extending competition up to Baltimore and down to Richmond, Va. 

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Future Olympics are scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Pyeongchang (2018) and Tokyo (2020).

The U.S. has hosted the Olympics eight times, the most of any country. The U.S. last hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, which were held in Salt Lake City, Utah. The last Summer Games in the USA were in 1996 in Atlanta. 

The 2024 Olympic host city will be announced on Sept. 15, 2017 at the 130th IOC Session. The winning bid will also host the 2024 Paralympic Games. 

- Molly Geary