(ATR) A new poll suggests a majority of Bostonians oppose hosting the 2024 Olympics.
Done by WBUR, the National Public Radio affiliate for Boston, and the MassINC Polling Group, the poll released Thursday showed that 36 percent of adults in the Boston region supported the Games with 52 percent opposing.
The poll registered the lowest public support for the bid since Boston was announced as the United States 2024 bid city in January. After the announcement, polls showed 51 percent of Boston residents supporting the bid, a number which dropped to 44 percent in February.
In the same poll, residents said overwhelmingly they did not believe that public money would not be used to build Games infrastructure. Twenty-nine percent of polled residents responded that they believed Boston 2024 would keep that promise while 62 percent doubted the claim.
"We are going to continue to talk with people every day, solicit their input and advice and try to answer their questions," Doug Rubin, a Boston 2024 spokesperson, said to the New York Times.
"When we do, we are confident that people will support an Olympic bid."
The United States Olympic Committee is confident that the tide of support turn back toward Boston. Letters of cities bidding for the 2024 Olympics are due to the IOC on Sept. 15 from their National Olympic Committees.
"It’s still early in the process," Scott Blackmun, USOC chief executive, said in a statement.
"While we would be pleased to see full support across the board, we recognize that it will take time and effort to successfully answer the important questions being raised by Bostonians."
The problem, says Alan Abrahamson of 3 Wire Sports, is Boston 2024's communication.
"There is, like, virtually none," Abrahamson said in an op ed posted on the AIPS website.
Abrahamson questions whether the PR strategists who Boston 2024 is paying $44,000 a month know anything about what it takes to win an Olympic bid. What is known, he says, is they are not doing much to move public opinion in a real way.
On the plus side for Boston, over a year before the IOC decided on the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo’s Olympic bid had roughly 47 percent of city citizens registering support, according to reports from the Associated Press. At the same time, rivals Istanbul and Madrid each showed support over 70 percent.
The IOC will decide a 2024 Olympic host at its session in 2017. Hamburg, Germany and Rome have confirmed bids for the 2024 Games.
No Fee for Patrick
Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has forgone his Boston 2024 consulting fee.
Patrick was brought on as a "global ambassador" to lobby for the bid, and was set to receive a fee of $7,500 for every day that he worked for the bid.
Boston mayor Marty Walsh said on Mar. 19 to Herald Radio that he did not believe Patrick should take the fee.
"I think it would be a good gesture representing this Commonwealth and I don’t think [he] should be paid at all," Walsh said.
After Walsh’s comments, Patrick announced to Boston.com he would taking a full-time position somewhere soon, and "[forgoing] all outside consulting pay, including for Boston 2024."
"I think the Olympics could be good for the Commonwealth, I will continue to help as and when I can, but not for a fee," Patrick said in a statement to Boston.com.
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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