Olympics Location:: Boston to Bid to Host 2024 Games
The U.S. Olympic Committee chose Boston over Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Thursday to represent the country in the bid for 2024 Olympic Games.
The last time the United States hosted an Olympics was the Salt Lake City Winter Games in 2002 and the Summer Games have not been held in the country since 19 years.
"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," USOC chairman Larry Probst said in a statement, USA Today reports.
The International Olympics Committee is scheduled to choose the host for the 2024 Games in September 2017. The country last hosted the Summer Olympics - the Atlanta Games - in the 1996. However, Larry Probst, chairman of the U.S.O.C., said in a statement that the American officials "feel we have an incredibly strong partner in Boston that will work with us to present a compelling bid," New York Times reports.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said it was "an exceptional honor" to be chosen.
"This selection is in recognition of our city's talent, diversity and global leadership," the first-term mayor said. "Our goal is to host an Olympic and Paralympic Games that are innovative, walkable and hospitable to all. Boston hopes to welcome the world's greatest athletes to one of the world's great cities," ESPN reports.
The competition is very stiff, with Rome announcing its intentions to try for the games last month and Germany is also expected to bid from either its capital city of Berlin or Hamburg. Various media reports stated that Paris and Istanbul are also up for entering the race and South Africa has confirmed that it is mulling over bidding for the Games as well.
