San Francisco Loses Bid for 2024 Olympics

Boston is one step closer to hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics after the U.S. Olympic Committee picked its bid over San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles.

“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 during the announcment. “We’re grateful to the leaders in each of the four cities for their partnership and interest in hosting the most exciting sports competition on earth.”

The original proposal from the San Francisco bid committee suggested a $350 million temporary stadium and signature venue in Brisbane along Highway 101. With up to 65,000-seats, the primary stadium would be designed to be torn down afterward.

In a last-minute push, the SF bid committee tweaked its proposal to have the Opening and Closing ceremonies and track-and-field events at a new, yet-to-be-developed stadium in Oakland. If the Oakland venue is unable to come to fruition, the Brisbane venue could still be developed.

For years, Oakland Raiders and Oakland A’s executives and East Bay officials have squabbled over funding and have been unable to agree on a new stadium proposal. The Olympics could have encouraged a swift resolution, but financing remained unclear.

Despite the regional victory, Boston still has a long way to go. The International Olympic Committee won’t announce its finalists until spring 2016 and the final winner won’t be chosen until September 2017.

The 2024 Summer Olympics will be officially known as the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. The U.S. hasn’t hosted a Summer Olympic Games since 1996 in Atlanta.

Written by Carlos Olin Montalvo

Follow me @carlosolin