AS A special commission set up by the Massachusetts Legislature studies the feasibility of the Olympics in Boston, why aren’t the commission members focusing on the Winter Games?
The year 2026 is the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. What better way to celebrate than for the world to gather for Winter Games in the city that ignited the American Revolution?
At one-third the size of the Summer Games, the Winter Olympics are better suited to Boston. We have plenty of ice arenas already, and utilizing existing assets is historically a major factor in controlling costs. As for skiing, travel time between Boston and the mountains of New Hampshire is similar to that of Vancouver and Whistler in 2010. Finally, regarding capacity, Boston is larger than recent Winter Olympic host cities Vancouver (2010), and Sochi (2014).
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This choice is about fiscal responsibility and due diligence. The US Olympic Committe has stated that it will probably submit a bid for either the 2024 Summer or 2026 Winter Olympics. Since we in Massachusetts are spending the time and money on the commission, we should be looking at the best options. After all, we get a lot more snow than Sochi.