If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (2024)

Related: This could have been our Olympic summer. Will Boston ever host the Games?

The bid to bring the Summer Olympics to Boston in 2024 fell apart nine years ago, after then-Boston Mayor Marty Walsh decided he would not put taxpayers on the hook for costs if the organizing committee ran out of money.

Led by area developer John Fish and Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca along with architect Dave Manfredi, the Boston 2024 push was met with sharp rebuke from those who worried about the long-term ramifications of an expensive global event descending on the region.

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Here’s a look at the proposals organizers made as they pushed for support in 2015, and what has happened with the locations in the nine years since.

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Boston's 2024 Olympics: Missed opportunity or dodged bullet?

Beach volleyball on Boston Common

Organizers initially suggested a beach volleyball stadium on Boston Common, just steps from the historic bandstand. It was a key plank of Boston 2024′s pitch to offer a more compact, even walkable, Games that would draw on existing city facilities, or as the original bid document put it, “deliver our most precious physical assets to the Games.”

Related: Boston didn’t get to host the Summer Olympics. At least the T is all fixed, right?

But the idea proved a lightning rod, with residents calling the nation’s oldest public park “sacred ground” and sharply rebuking the plan, which would have required organizers to cut down some of the Common’s mature oak trees to make way for the 16,000-seat temporary stadium.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (1)

A revised bid moved beach volleyball to Squantum Point Park in Quincy, where spectators would arrive by shuttle bus from the North Quincy Red Line station or by water ferry.

What became of the original site? Boston residents may soon be able to play pickleball there. A master plan for Boston Common is in the planning stages would transform the athletic fields into a multiuse space that includes a soccer pitch and pickleball courts.

Related: A new master plan could help transform Boston Common into a ‘better version’ of itself

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And over in Paris, beach volleyball is taking center stage in front of the city’s most iconic structure — the Eiffel Tower.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (2)

Main stadium at Widett Circle

No Olympics is complete without a centerpiece venue — the Olympic Stadium. Cities aren’t required to build new, but in 2015, Boston didn’t have a large enough space to host the opening ceremony. Fenway Park’s 37,000-person capacity (at least for concerts) wouldn’t cut it, and let’s be real, Foxborough is not Boston.

But organizers had an idea: What if there was a way to build a new stadium while also stitching together two of Boston’s most venerable neighborhoods — and minimizing the long-term impact by making it temporary?

What about all that industrial space down at Widett Circle?

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (3)

Widett Circle lies between South Boston and the South End, along Route 93. For decades, it has sat underused and underdeveloped as an industrial park and meat-packing and food distribution hub.

But organizers had a vision for a space the city has long wanted to maximize. What if a massive temporary venue were built to host the opening ceremony and track and field, among other Olympic events, and then, over the course of the next decade, was redeveloped? Plans called for housing, retail, and green space. Even a new neighborhood name was proposed: Midtown.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (4)

In the years since, the location has been floated as a site for a Revolution stadium (the Krafts are now pushing to build a venue in Everett, near the Encore casino). The most ambitious projects have called for building expensive decks over railroad tracks for mixed-use space on top. At one point, Amazon was interested in a massive distribution center on the site.

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But in 2023, nearly eight years after the Boston Olympic bid fell apart, a decision finally was made about Widett Circle’s future. It would become a railyard, well-positioned to alleviate train-switching issues at South Station a mile away.

Olympic village in Dorchester

The former home of the Bayside Expo Center near the UMass Boston campus — and its prime real estate in front of Boston Harbor — had been underdeveloped for years as the Boston Olympic bid was being sorted out.

The Expo Center had closed in 2010 (and its roof would cave in after record snow totals in the winter of 2015). But the space had potential. Olympic organizers had a vision: What if they took the 36 acres at Columbia Point and developed it into the athletes’ village?

The International Olympic Committee requires host cities to find enough lodging for thousands of athletes, coaches, and staff members. Most cities use existing dormitories or build housing and convert it later on. That was the plan for Boston, with post-Games plans including 2,700 new beds for UMass Boston students, 3,000 housing units, and retail, restaurant, and community spaces, along with improvements promised to the nearby JFK/UMass MBTA station.

When the bid was halted, so too were plans to redevelop Columbia Point. But last September, the city’s planning and development agency approved a $5 billion, 21-building mixed-use project along Mount Vernon Street and Morrissey Boulevard called Dorchester Bay City.

The project is expected to take 10-15 years to complete.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (6)

Equestrian events at White Stadium

A plan to refurbish Franklin Park’s White Stadium to host 10,000 spectators was included in both the original and revised 2024 Olympics bids. The venue would have been used for dressage and other equestrian events.

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If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (7)

Equestrian cross-country would have taken place in park as well, specifically on the William J. Devine Municipal Golf Course, which organizers boasted as offering “varied terrain, water and exceptional viewing areas.” That venue would have held 60,000 people, according to bid documents. The plan called for the golf course to be rebuilt after the Games.

Plans for a “secure perimeter/fence line” around Franklin Park drew local attention when the initial bid was released. The perimeter would have enclosed both White Stadium and the golf course.

When the bid to host the Games ended, so too did the conversation around how to revitalize decrepit White Stadium. That is, until Boston Unity Soccer Partners — which is bringing a professional women’s soccer team to the city in 2026 — identified the site as its preferred location for the new NWSL franchise.

Last week, despite an ongoing lawsuit from residents in the area, the Boston Planning and Development Agency approved renovation plans for the stadium. The NWSL team owners intend to rebuild White Stadium into an 11,000-seat venue for home games; the stadium will be used by Boston Public Schools students during the rest of the year.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (8)

Tennis at Harambee Park

After initially considering Harvard, Boston 2024 organizers pitched a permanent tennis venue to be built in Dorchester’s Harambee Park in their revised bid. The park, just southeast of Franklin Park, is home to the historic Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center. The park also would have hosted two separate temporary Olympic tennis courts.

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Many community leaders and residents were supportive of the idea, and some expressed disappointment when the bid was canceled.

“I feel like the kids could find something and look at the athletes and envision themselves in that arena,” one resident told WBUR at the time. “I think that would have been great for Boston and these neighborhoods.”

Harambee Park is currently in the midst of renovations, with new athletic facilities including football, lacrosse, and soccer fields completed in recent years.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (9)

Archery at MIT, and other plans

As part of the initial Boston 2024 bid, the campuses of Harvard and MIT were included as sites for swimming and archery, respectively. Renderings showed an archery range directly in front of the iconic MIT dome. The 3,000-person venue would have been part of the “University Cluster” that included Harvard, MIT, and Boston University.

At Harvard, organizers proposed a temporary aquatics center, which would hold 18,500 spectators at Allston Landing.

In its revised bid, Boston 2024 moved the archery venue to Harvard Stadium but never found a home for the aquatics center.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (10)
If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (11)

Following the failed Olympics bid, Harvard pushed forward with plans to build a massive engineering and life sciences complex on the Allston site. That building opened in 2021 following COVID-related construction delays.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (12)

Velodrome at Assembly Square

Among the more obscure Olympic venues is the velodrome, an indoor venue with steep walls and an oval track specifically designed for cycling.

Athletes use special bikes with no gears and no brakes. They stay in one gear throughout the race and slow down by slowing their pedaling.

Related: Hometown heroes: Meet the New Englanders competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics

Velodromes can be expensive to build and have limited use to the general public. It cost nearly $150 million for London to create the venue for the 2012 Summer Games — and it still hosts international cycling events. But the sport is far less popular in the United States.

It’s no wonder why then-Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone didn’t want the Boston Olympic velodrome along the shores of the Mystic River.

In initial planning, the Boston 2024 organizers suggested that a velodrome could be built at Assembly Square, near the Assembly MBTA stop on the Orange Line that opened in 2014.

Curtatone, citing the lack of long-term benefit of the structure, said venues like a velodrome “won’t cut it” in Somerville.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (13)

In the nine years since the Olympic bid fell apart, Somerville’s Assembly Row has blossomed. The land where the velodrome was supposed to be built is a riverside park. More than 2,400 people live in the neighborhood, and 8 million retail customers come through establishments across the 40 acres every year.

The complex also generates substantial tax revenue — more than $60 million since opening, according to officials.

Related: Ten years after opening, Assembly Row booms on

In 2015, when Somerville shot down the velodrome idea, organizers looked to their second choice: Suffolk Downs in East Boston. But the track’s operator also shot down the notion quickly. Developers have since opened The Stage at Suffolk Downs, an outdoor music venue, which debuted last year. But extensive plans to build thousands of housing units are on pause.

Organizers never determined where the Olympic velodrome might have landed; details weren’t included in their final bid in July 2015.

Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac. Christina Prignano can be reached at christina.prignano@globe.com. Follow her @cprignano.

If Boston had hosted the 2024 Olympics, these were the proposed venues. What has happened there since? - The Boston Globe (2024)

FAQs

What are the problems with the 2024 Olympics? ›

There are various concerns and controversies related to the 2024 Summer Olympics, including security concerns, human rights issues, and controversy over allowing Israel to participate amidst the Israel–Hamas war, and allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

What are the changes in the Olympics in 2024? ›

A repechage round will be introduced to all individual track events in athletics from 200m to 1500m in distance. Replacing the individual 50km, the mixed team walking race will also make its Olympic debut at Paris 2024. In artistic swimming, men will be eligible to compete for the first time in Olympic history.

Which sport will be dropped from the 2024 Olympics? ›

A total of four sports will make their return to the Olympics, including baseball and softball, which will return after being on hiatus during the 2024 Paris Games.

Why are people protesting the Olympics in 2024? ›

The presence of Israeli athletes at the Games—and the way it normalizes the state of Israel—is seen as a particularly brutal example of “sportswashing.” Many of the speakers made this link between the Olympics and the need for Palestinian solidarity.

What is the biggest danger facing future Olympics? ›

Millions of visitors and thousands of athletes will flock to Paris for the Summer Olympic Games, but the great unknown for organizers is the potential risk of protests, terrorism and cyber attacks.

Could Boston host the Olympics? ›

The U.S. Olympic Committee selected Boston as the American candidate to host the 2024 Games, not Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. or San Francisco. Within about six months, though, the bid was withdrawn amid wavering public support.

What was one reason Noboston successfully stopped Boston from completing their Olympic bid? ›

Here is a closer look at the issues and controversies that brought down Boston's Olympic bid:
  • Lack Of Public Support.
  • A Lack Of Transparency.
  • A Small But Mighty Opposition.
  • A Push For A Referendum.
  • The Winter Of 2015.
  • Salaries Of Boston 2024 Staff.
  • Free Speech Kerfuffle.
Jul 27, 2015

Why doesn t New York host the Olympics? ›

Finally, on June 6, 2005, the Public Authorities Control Board rejected New York State's $300 million contribution for the project, eliminating the possibility that an Olympic Stadium on that site would be fully approved before the IOC's vote.

Why is breaking an Olympic sport in 2024? ›

The competition saw a total of thirty-three breakers (sixteen b-boys and seventeen b-girls) staged in face-to-face single battles. IOC president Thomas Bach stated that breaking was added as part of an effort to draw more interest from young people in the Olympics.

Why is there no breaking in 2028? ›

The decision to keep breakdancing out of the LA 2028 games was made long before Raygun or any other Olympic breakdancers performed on the worldwide stage. The Los Angeles Olympic organizers chose not to include the sport in 2023 because it did not fit their vision for the Games.

What will the 2024 Olympics be held? ›

The Olympic Games of Paris 2024

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the biggest event ever organised in France. The Olympic Games will take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024, when Paris will become the centre of the world—the world of sport, and so much more.

Will the Olympics have gender equality in 2024? ›

When Paris last hosted the games in 1924 just over 4 percent of the 3,000 total competitors were women. A century later, the International Olympic Committee dubbed the 2024 games the gender equal Olympics, saying they'd have a 50-50, allocation of male and female athletes competing.

Why is Paris protesting the Olympics? ›

But the Games also have faced criticism as Parisians have complained about everything from elevated public transit fees to government spending on cleaning up the Seine River for swimming instead of investing in the social safety net.

Is Paris 2024 safe? ›

The Paris 2024 Olympics face significant cybersecurity threats, including AI-driven assaults that could disrupt broadcasts and ticketing. Insurers are particularly concerned about these risks. Organizers are enhancing digital platform monitoring and international cooperation to mitigate threats.

Will breaking be in the 2024 Olympics? ›

The breaking competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games comprises two events—one for men and one for women—where 16 B-Boys and 16 B-Girls will face off in spectacular solo battles.

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