(ATR) The fate of the Boston bid for the 2024 Olympics could be determined in a teleconference Monday by the USOC board of directors.
A spokesperson for the USOC confirmed the meeting to Around the Rings, which will feature an update on the Boston 2024 bid, and serve as the introduction of new board member Bob Wood.
Boston 2024 and Massachusetts political leaders will give updates to the USOC about the state of the Olympic bid. The teleconference comes days after Boston 2024 engaged opposition group No Boston Olympics in a televised debate.
Senior U.S. IOC member Anita DeFrantz tells Around the Rings she is not aware of the specifics of the teleconference.But she indicates public support is essential for Boston to stay in the race.
"The IOC wants a city to want to host the Games. Enthusiasm is key for an Olympic host city," she says.
Governor Charlie Baker will speak to the USOC, but has yet to take a position. He's waiting for an independent analysis from the consultancy firm the Brattle Group that is due in August. Supposedly he refused to bow to USOC pressure last week to commit to the bid.
Boston 2024 could not be reached for comment about their plan for the teleconference, an unscheduled meeting that will come just three weeks after the regular quarterly meeting of the USOC board. The board affirmed its support for Boston at the June 30 meeting.
Currently, public support stands at 40 percent in favor of the bid, although Boston 2024 says private polling shows that a majority of citizens still have not made up their mind on the bid. The USOC has said in the past it would like to see the Boston bid register of majority of support, but did not give a specific timeline for that development.
With Wood’s appointment, four new members have taken seats on the USOC board since the decision to nominate Boston in January.
After the teleconference, USOC chairman Larry Probst and board members Anita DeFrantz and Angela Ruggiero, all IOC members, will travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the 2015 IOC Session. Whether they will arrrive with Boston to promote as an American bid for 2024 depends on the outcome of the teleconference Monday.
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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