(ATR) A new poll conducted by Loyola Marymount University demonstrates unequivocal support of the Los Angeles 2024 Olympic bid by the citizens of Los Angeles County.
Eighty-eight percent of the 2,425 L.A. County residents surveyed via telephone said they either strongly or somewhat supported the bid. LMU used a randomized phone list sample that represented the various ethnicities and geographic regions of L.A.
The survey represents the first independent measure of support for the bid and shows that interest in hosting the Olympics has increased since a United States Olympic Committee survey in Aug. 2015 demonstrated 81 percent of residents backed the bid.
This is the highest amount of support demonstrated by any of the four bidders for the 2024 Games thus far. Budapest, Paris and Rome have all showcased that the majority of each city’s residents support the bid initiatives but Rome is the only other city to surpass the 75 percent mark. Budapest has the support of 57 percent of its residents while Paris stands at 74 percent support.
Those saying they support bringing the Games back to Los Angeles cite the economic boost and job creation the Olympics would bring. Those opposed to the bid are most concerned about the traffic congestion caused by the event and the overall cost of the bid.
"Across the board, everybody is just very supportive," said Brianne Gilbert, associate director at the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at LMU that conducted the survey.
"This is really something Angelenos want to see in L.A. The support is really phenomenal," says Gilbert.
Gilbert also notes that support was nearly equivalent across all demographics and geographic regions, something she says she had never seen before in a survey.
LA 2024 bid leader Casey Wasserman says this diverse support will help bring the Summer Games back to Los Angeles for the third time.
"Angelenos' overwhelming support is consistent across all ages, all demographics and all the diverse cultures in L.A., reaffirming our multicultural, multi-ethnic city's backing for bringing the Olympic Games to Los Angeles and to the United States for the first time in 28 years," says Wasserman.
"The IOC can have complete confidence that if they award Los Angeles the honor of naming us Host City, they will be bringing the Games back to a city that truly loves them," says L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
The IOC will select either Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris or Rome as the host city in September 2017.
LA 2024 Uses Hometown Heroes to Promote Bid
Following the release of the survey results Tuesday afternoon, LA 2024 launched a promotional trailer for the bid that will hit theaters in the area on Thursday ahead of the Academy Awards.
The two-minute film features local Olympians such as Kobe Bryant, Janet Evans and Greg Louganis as well as Hollywood stars Will Ferrell and Jessica Alba talking about what life will be like in L.A. in 2024.
Young athletes also describe their aspirations to become Olympians and Paralympians eight-years down the road. The trailer is up on the LA 2024 YouTube page and can be seen below.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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