L.A. City Council Backs Olympic Bid

(ATR) The Los Angeles City Council "sends a message to the world" with a unanimous vote in favor of bidding for the 2024 Olympics.

All 15 members of the Los Angeles council voted in favor of a resolution backing plans by Mayor Eric Garcetti to seek a third Olympics for the city.

The vote by the council clears the way for the U.S. Olympic Committee to nominate Los Angeles for the 2024 race after the late July demise of Boston, which was originally chosen by the USOC. But lack of public and governmental support doomed the Boston effort.

With a September 15 deadline to submit a candidate to the IOC, the USOC went back to the three other cities once under consideration: San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Only Los Angeles expressed an interest in going forward.

The city council vote followed an hour of discussion during which council members took turns rhapsodizing about the city’s Olympic past, gushing with optimism about another Games in Southern California.

Council President Herb Wesson said despite the tight deadline,"This is not a rushed proposal. I believe in us. I know we can do this. We will make this Olympics successful financially."

Council Member Paul Krekorian said another Olympics means a boost for legacy.

"We have generations of children that are still benefiting from the Games in '84," he said.

Reaction from Garcetti and the USOC is coming. A press conference is planned near the beach in Santa Monica early Tuesday afternoon where the Mayor and USOC leadership will speak.

Other cities expected to file their candidacy with the IOC include Paris, Rome, Hamburg and Budapest.

Written by Ed Hula

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