2024 Summer Olympics at the Rent

[Mr. Conehead]

http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/12139076/boston-us-bid-city-2024-summer-Olympics


Boston has been officially picked as the US candidate for the 2024 Summer Olympics and in 2017, the IOC will pick the winner from Boston and possibly a dozen other cities, including: Baku, Berlin or Hamburg, Brisbane, Budapest, Doha (more money from Qatar), Durban or Johannesburg, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, and St. Petersburg.

If Beantown wins this, certain events will be located across New England, including both the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence and the Verizon Wireless arena in Manchester NH.

For soccer, Fenway will not be available as it will likely host baseball (assuming that baseball is reinstated as an Olympic sport, can't see that not happening if Boston wins the bid) and the main Olympic stadium, which will be a temporary 60K stadium and likely downsized to 30K after to be used by the Boston's MLS team likely would not host soccer either due to the space and time needed for track events. In 1996 when Atlanta hosted the games, 5 stadiums were used – 1) UGA (86K) where the final was held, 2) Orlando (65K), 3) Birmingham (81K), 4) Miami (72K), and 5) DC (56K). That's quite spread. Gillette would obviously be used as the primary soccer venue; but, it can't host all of the games. Outside of previously noted stadiums (Gillette, Fenway, Olympic venue), the Rent is the 3rd largest stadium after the Yale Bowl (60K), and BC’s Alumni Stadium (44K). Harvard Stadium is down to just 30K and no other stadium in New England breaks 25K. I am not sure the Yale Bowl can be renovated enough to meet Olympic needs while the turf at Alumni stadium would need to be covered in real grass for FIFA. Thus, it’s logical that the Rent, especially if it was expanded before 2024 to 50K to host B1G/ACC football games, would be a soccer venue.

Thoughts?

 

[UCFBfan]

I always felt that if NY got the Olympics when they bid that the Rent would host some early round soccer matches. I don't see why it would be any different if Boston held them. Look at London Olympics and the distance between those games. I believe some games were played at Newcastle's stadium in Northern England. Can't imagine it's any further from Boston to East Hartford.

 

[UConn9604]

http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/12139076/boston-us-bid-city-2024-summer-Olympics


Boston has been officially picked as the US candidate for the 2024 Summer Olympics and in 2017, the IOC will pick the winner from Boston and possibly a dozen other cities, including: Baku, Berlin or Hamburg, Brisbane, Budapest, Doha (more money from Qatar), Durban or Johannesburg, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, and St. Petersburg.

If Beantown wins this, certain events will be located across New England, including both the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence and the Verizon Wireless arena in Manchester NH.

For soccer, Fenway will not be available as it will likely host baseball (assuming that baseball is reinstated as an Olympic sport, can't see that not happening if Boston wins the bid) and the main Olympic stadium, which will be a temporary 60K stadium and likely downsized to 30K after to be used by the Boston's MLS team likely would not host soccer either due to the space and time needed for track events. In 1996 when Atlanta hosted the games, 5 stadiums were used – 1) UGA (86K) where the final was held, 2) Orlando (65K), 3) Birmingham (81K), 4) Miami (72K), and 5) DC (56K). That's quite spread. Gillette would obviously be used as the primary soccer venue; but, it can't host all of the games. Outside of previously noted stadiums (Gillette, Fenway, Olympic venue), the Rent is the 3rd largest stadium after the Yale Bowl (60K), and BC’s Alumni Stadium (44K). Harvard Stadium is down to just 30K and no other stadium in New England breaks 25K. I am not sure the Yale Bowl can be renovated enough to meet Olympic needs while the turf at Alumni stadium would need to be covered in real grass for FIFA. Thus, it’s logical that the Rent, especially if it was expanded before 2024 to 50K to host B1G/ACC football games, would be a soccer venue.

Thoughts?

Where would they have the opening and closing ceremonies? If it's Gillette (which I doubt), wouldn't they have to seriously reconfigure things to include a new track, etc.? Assuming they get the bid, they'd have another eight years or so to come up with a plan.

 

[Mr. Conehead]

Where would they have the opening and closing ceremonies? If it's Gillette (which I doubt), wouldn't they have to seriously reconfigure things to include a new track, etc.? Assuming they get the bid, they'd have another eight years or so to come up with a plan.

You are right, Gillette will not be the main Olympic venue because 1) it’s too far away from Boston and 2) there is enough not enough room for track and field facilities within the bowl.

From what I have read so far, the main Olympic venue will be a semi-temporary stadium of about 60K built for track & field and the opening and closing ceremonies. The stadium will be located in between Dorchester and South Boston south along I-93 and the train lines. Google "22 Food Mart Road, Boston MA " and you will see the approximate location. The Broadway and Andrew T stations (Red Line) are nearby and the MBTA will run special train ‘shuttles’ from nearby South Station to the stadium. After the Olympics, the stadium would be downsized to about 30K and used for ‘other’ functions. With Bob Kraft, who owns the Patriots and the MLS Revolution, on the Boston bid committee, everyone is assuming that the ‘other function’ will be a soccer specific stadium for the Revs beginning in 2026.

London did the same with their main Olympic venue for the 2012 Summer games. That stadium has been downsized from 80K to 54K and will serve as the home of West Ham United, an English Premier League football/soccer club, beginning in 2016. Of course, it cost £537 ($810) million to build the original stadium for the Olympics and then another £130 ($180) million to downsize it. Now you know why John Fish is the head of Boston’s Olympic bid committee as he is the CEO of Boston’s largest construction company, Suffolk Construction.

As a FYI, the primary athlete’s village would be built just down the Red Line at Columbia Point and after the Olympics, they would be converted to dorms for UMass-Boston, which would be paid for by UMass’s overall budget.

 

[superjohn]

I get that Boston is trying to give the impression they are a world class city but Boston just isn't. They don't have a chance at getting the Olympics and that's a good thing for the city, the Olympics are a financial disaster.

 

[John]

I get that Boston is trying to give the impression they are a world class city but Boston just isn't. They don't have a chance at getting the Olympics and that's a good thing for the city, the Olympics are a financial disaster.

I love Boston, but I agree - it's a small regional city, not something like NYC, Chicago, etc

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I get that Boston is trying to give the impression they are a world class city but Boston just isn't. They don't have a chance at getting the Olympics and that's a good thing for the city, the Olympics are a financial disaster.

Not to defend Boston as it is so easy to frown upon its chipped shoulder, but since when has "world class city" or "non-regional city" been an absolute requirement for an Olympics host city? Not sure how one defines "world class city", but Rio's a world class cluster phark, and Beijing's a world class polluted dump, so perhaps they qualify. Other than Athens' obvious history, Olympics and in general, the city doesn't fall in any all-star category. Sydney spreads itself very far and wide to account for its 4 million or so residents, but it feels quite small as an urban center (yes, even compared with Boston). Atlanta ... big, busy airport but smaller in population ... world class, nyet! Go back further, many a host city has not met the "world class" or "non-regional" qualifiers.

Financially, some cities view(ed) the Olympics as sunk cost, infrastructure opportunities, e.g., Rio, Beijing, Athens, etc. Boston could be the same in some ways, e.g., Logan's inadequate as it is now, the T's antiquated, commuter train access is OK yet commands enhancements. etc. Meanwhile, Boston already has in place many athletic facilities which could be enhanced, temporarily increased in size, etc. Boston would not be starting from nothing as with some recent Olympics, and its' many universities potentially stand to both contribute to investment and benefit. If world class status is truly important, some of those universities, many of Boston's leading teaching hospitals / research institutions, high tech, financial, etc. entities put it at least on par with other cities bidding for the Olympics.

... not starting a pissing contest, just laying out some other possible considerations.

 

[Drew]

lets put a bid in for storrs to host it and build 60k+ stadiums all over campus. wonder if we could find a use for one of them after the olympics are over?

 

[rich1122]

http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/12139076/boston-us-bid-city-2024-summer-Olympics


Boston has been officially picked as the US candidate for the 2024 Summer Olympics and in 2017, the IOC will pick the winner from Boston and possibly a dozen other cities, including: Baku, Berlin or Hamburg, Brisbane, Budapest, Doha (more money from Qatar), Durban or Johannesburg, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, and St. Petersburg.

If Beantown wins this, certain events will be located across New England, including both the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence and the Verizon Wireless arena in Manchester NH.

For soccer, Fenway will not be available as it will likely host baseball (assuming that baseball is reinstated as an Olympic sport, can't see that not happening if Boston wins the bid) and the main Olympic stadium, which will be a temporary 60K stadium and likely downsized to 30K after to be used by the Boston's MLS team likely would not host soccer either due to the space and time needed for track events. In 1996 when Atlanta hosted the games, 5 stadiums were used – 1) UGA (86K) where the final was held, 2) Orlando (65K), 3) Birmingham (81K), 4) Miami (72K), and 5) DC (56K). That's quite spread. Gillette would obviously be used as the primary soccer venue; but, it can't host all of the games. Outside of previously noted stadiums (Gillette, Fenway, Olympic venue), the Rent is the 3rd largest stadium after the Yale Bowl (60K), and BC’s Alumni Stadium (44K). Harvard Stadium is down to just 30K and no other stadium in New England breaks 25K. I am not sure the Yale Bowl can be renovated enough to meet Olympic needs while the turf at Alumni stadium would need to be covered in real grass for FIFA. Thus, it’s logical that the Rent, especially if it was expanded before 2024 to 50K to host B1G/ACC football games, would be a soccer venue.

Thoughts?

Th Rent expanded. Not a chance.

 

[MarbleheadHusky]

I would fully expect events at the Rent should Boston win the Olympic Bid for 2024. I was at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and my favorite event was going to the Soccer Semifinal between Brazil and Nigeria in Athens (UGA). Athens is 2 hours outside of Atlanta and Sanford Stadium was hopping with 80,000 people. The Rent is a perfect venue for soccer. By far the best time I had this Fall was going to the US Soccer game vs. Ecaudor.

 

[APA]

Athens is 75 miles from Atlanta, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

 

[Palatine]

The key to your selection as the Olympic host city is your ability to bribe the selection committee.

It has nothing to do with the size or world class nature of the metropolis.

 

[Waquoit]

I love Boston, but I agree - it's a small regional city, not something like NYC, Chicago, etc

USA Today just posted an analysis of a Boston bid.

 

[ZooCougar]

If the US Soccer Federation advises the Boston Olympic Commitee then the Rent will definitely be part of the equation.

Foxboro will have to be covered in grass like they did at the Big House this summer.

 

[ZooCougar]

USA Today just posted an analysis of a Boston bid.

This bid is dead on arrival.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

This is nothing more than a "feel good Boston Strong" type of thing. They have no shot. Do I care if Olympic events are held at the Rent? Not even a little.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is nothing more than a "feel good Boston Strong" type of thing. They have no shot. Do I care if Olympic events are held at the Rent? Not even a little.

But it will help in recruiting!

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

But it will help in recruiting!

I love the "it increases our exposure and profile" mantra.

 

[ZooCougar]

I love the "it increases our exposure and profile" mantra.

If we add South Alabama to the AAC then we can dominate Alabama in recruiting.

In all seriousness, having some portion of the games in Hartford would be good for the area but do very little for UConn. I'm just glad that the stadium is such a versatile venue.

 

[Dooley]

There is no way Boston is going to win this bid without it being a "New England" bid. Even so, there is no way Boston/New England will win this bid. I kind of hope it doesn't. I can do without the traffic nightmares on 91 to 84. Can you imagine how long the line will be waiting to get over the Founders Bridge, in a single friggin' lane, from anyone headed to Boston from all points south of Hartford??? Yikes.

 

[Mr. Conehead]

I have lived and worked in both Boston and New York. Boston is a great city with a lot to offer; but, outside oft he medical and education fields, it is not a word class city like New York City is much to their chagrin and quiet often denial. New York competes with Paris, London, Shanghai, HK, Singapore, etc. while Boston competes with Philadelphia, Chicago, SF for global business.

But, I do think that Boston has a chance. Romney, Kraft, Fish, etc. are major business leaders with global recognition, even if they are in it for themselves. Also, the Olympics make a boat load of money when the US hosts. Boston took note of the financial disasters that London and Sochi were in terms of cost, which is causing all sorts of trouble for the 2022 Winter Olympic selection. Thus, Boston is pushing their ability to contain costs, even if is a sleight of hand, and to either have the facilities already in place now or have alterative future uses for them later to avoid the white elephants that Athens, Beijing, and Sochi now have. Thus, if the anti-US sentiment is not too strong in 2017 when the winner/loser will be announced, they have a good chance.

 

[Mr. Conehead]

This is nothing more than a "feel good Boston Strong" type of thing. They have no shot. Do I care if Olympic events are held at the Rent? Not even a little.

If UConn can get into the B1G or ACC by then and the Olympics can help with the cost to expand the rent to +50K, I am all for it .

 

[superjohn]

I have lived and worked in both Boston and New York. Boston is a great city with a lot to offer; but, outside oft he medical and education fields, it is not a word class city like New York City is much to their chagrin and quiet often denial. New York competes with Paris, London, Shanghai, HK, Singapore, etc. while Boston competes with Philadelphia, Chicago, SF for global business.

But, I do think that Boston has a chance. Romney, Kraft, Fish, etc. are major business leaders with global recognition, even if they are in it for themselves. Also, the Olympics make a boat load of money when the US hosts. Boston took note of the financial disasters that London and Sochi were in terms of cost, which is causing all sorts of trouble for the 2022 Winter Olympic selection. Thus, Boston is pushing their ability to contain costs, even if is a sleight of hand, and to either have the facilities already in place now or have alterative future uses for them later to avoid the white elephants that Athens, Beijing, and Sochi now have. Thus, if the anti-US sentiment is not too strong in 2017 when the winner/loser will be announced, they have a good chance.

One revision, Boston does not compete with Chicago. Boston does have many great Universities and may have it's charm but it feels like a town compared to Chicago. The United States has a lot of great cities but NYC, LA and Chicago are just so much bigger than the others.

 

[Mr. Conehead]

USA Today just posted an analysis of a Boston bid.

Not a fan of Boston as a host city myself; but, this was a poor article. Heck the picture of I-93 is from before the Big Dig. I-93 is now an 8 lane, very expensive highway underground there.

While Boston will need a new (temporary) main venue, one of the big selling points is that any of the facilities are already, such as TD Bank Garden (gymnastics, basketball), Matthews Arena (Handball), Harvard Stadium (field hockey), Convention Center (media), etc. while the new facilities will have future uses such as the Olympic Village becoming the main dorm complex for UMass-Boston. While it will be expensive to renovate many of those places, it’s a lot cheaper that building from scratch, which is what took place in Athens, Beijing and Sochi. Also, ignoring the Olympics for a moment, who on Earth would drive from Fenway, which will not be the main venue, to TD Bank Garden when it’s a 20 minute ride on the Green Line (would need to be upgraded and more service added) or a 2 ½ miles walk (45 minutes), which is a nice walk in the summer along the Charles. No one drives in Boston unless absolutely necessary.

He does make three valid points. First, as I already said, Kraft is going to use this to have someone else build him a new soccer stadium for the Rev at little or no cost to him. Must be tough to be a billionaire. Second, Boston, even without the Olympics, needs more hotel rooms. The room rate in Boston is higher than NYC. There are already plans for a bunch of new hotels in the Seaport and Financial district though. Plus, for budget conscious folks, some hotels are close enough to commuter rail stops to make then viable options. Third, Storrow drive is a lot of fun. When I first moved there, I look my Mom for a ride out to Watertown via Storrow Drive. She almost did not make it. Asked why I was doing 65 MPH on a road where the posted speed limit is 35 or 35 MPH. My answer was that if I went that slow, the BMW behind me would be in my trunk. And, by the way, shuttle buses are not going on Storrow Drive, the bridges are too low.

 

[Mr. Conehead]

One revision, Boston does not compete with Chicago. Boston does have many great Universities and may have it's charm but it feels like a town compared to Chicago. The United States has a lot of great cities but NYC, LA and Chicago are just so much bigger than the others.

Just my opinion; but, Boston does compete at the top tier globally in higher education and health sciences and on the next tier down in high tech and financial services. I was just highlighting the fact that Boston is not in New York’s playing field, no matter how the Sox have fared against the Yankees recently. Chicago, to me at least, is in between the two along with LA while SF, especially when the Silcon Valley is attached to it, is closer to NYC even if SF the city is smallish in terms of population (840K).