New Boston Poll Shows Slight Uptick in Olympic Support

(ATR) Boston residents may be warming up to the Olympics.

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BOSTON - MAY 31: A view of Boston Harbor waterfront for the upcoming OpSail events. (Photo by David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - MAY 31: A view of Boston Harbor waterfront for the upcoming OpSail events. (Photo by David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

(ATR) Boston residents may be warming up to the Olympics.

The newest poll from Boston public radio affiliate WBUR and MassINC polling shows that 40 percent of respondents support hosting the 2024 Olympics.

The previous poll conducted by WBUR in March showed only 36 percent support, a nadir of support for the Olympic bid.

Initial enthusiasm for potentially hosting the Games quickly eroded after a January announcement of the Olympic bid. Boston polled 51 percent support after the announcement, with a steady decline in February and March, before the small uptick in April.

According to the poll, 50 percent of residents said they oppose hosting the Games, down from 52 percent in March.

"One of the doubts about the Olympics is that people are not sure whether or not it would leave the city with a better transportation system," Steve Koczela, of The MassINC Polling Group, told WBUR.

"That’s something that residents care about a lot."

Concerns over the use of public funds and cost-overruns have been the focal point of the main opposition group No Boston Olympics.

The Boston city council recently announced four more public hearings to explore how the Games will be paid for, and how different Boston neighborhoods will be affected by the Olympics. The first of the four hearings is set for Apr. 21.

A statewide referendum on Boston 2024 will be held on Nov. 16, 2016.

Written by Aaron Bauer

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.

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