Hosting the Toronto 2024 Olympics would be a dream come true for many residents, athletes and city officials.
With the successful execution of Toronto’s Pan Am Games and the Olympic bid deadline fast approaching, the possibility seems within arm’s reach.
Councillor James Pasternak tweeted Thursday that Toronto should consider a bi-national bid with Boston for the 2024 Olympics.
Pasternak said the future of the Olympic movement can be an enormous financial risk for the countries hosting the games.
“Countries can team up, share the risk, share the investment and share the glory,” the councillor said.
“I think that would be a good thing for Toronto, which I believe would like to host an Olympic games, but also wants to reduce the risk of a long-term financial cost.”
The increasing cost of hosting the Olympic games can be an overwhelming price tag to take on.
The 2014 Sochi games cost over $50 billion.
Pasternak says Toronto’s logical partner would be a city in the U.S.
Boston has been selected by the United States Olympic Committee as the bidding city for 2024.
Pasternak says he reached out to the city of Boston about the possibility of teaming up for an Olympic bi-national bid. In a statement issued to BostInno, Boston 2024 COO Erin Murphy said:
“Boston 2024 has not had discussions about hosting events outside of the country. We will be making additional venue announcements in Boston and around the Commonwealth throughout June and will be confirming venues as they are finalized. Our ongoing community engagement process is helping shape the next phase of our plans and bringing us much closer to a preliminary Games concept that reflects the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 and the city’s 2030 planning. This planning is progressing well and we’re on track to release the next phase of our Games concept by June 30.”
As for the 2024 Olympic bid, the councillor says he believes that ship has sailed.
“I think that Toronto has left it too late for Toronto 2024.”
This isn’t the first time Toronto has pushed for an Olympic bid.
In July 2001, Toronto was in the running to host the 2008 Olympics but was beat out by Beijing.
Mayor John Tory referenced the Olympic bid yesterday, saying he won’t consider the bid until the Pan Am/Parapan Am games are complete.
“There are a whole variety of international events and sporting competitions that we are now in a position to host which is good for Toronto, good for Ontario and good for Canada,” Tory said.
“The Olympics is one of those.”
The deadline for the 2024 Olympics is Sept. 15 and would cost the city between $50 to $60 million for the bid alone.
Comments