Brookline, Mass. Votes Overwhelmingly Against 2024 Olympics

Residents and town officials gathered in Brookline to vote on a resolution that would oppose bringing the 2024 Summer Olympics to Boston

Boston 2024 was dealt a blow to its bid to potentially land the Summer Olympic games Thursday night.

Voters in Brookline, Massachusetts, passed a non-binding resolution against Boston 2024's Olympic bid by an overwhelming 111-46 tally. Just seven voters abstained.

Residents and town officials gathered at the Brookline High School auditorium to vote on a resolution that would oppose bringing the 2024 Summer Olympics to Boston. Eight speakers signed up and they were allotted 12 minutes each to voice their opposition.

Town meeting members argued that Brookline “was never consulted about hosting the 2024 Olympics” before the Boston 2024 group submitted its bid to the United States Olympic Committee last year.

Chris Dempsey, co-chair of the group No Boston Olympics, spoke in front of the group. He laid out 10 points as to why Brookline should oppose Boston 2024.

"They should be bouncing concepts off of us, even at an early stage. If they expect us to be part of the story, part of the conversation, we should be part of the planning," Brookline Board of Selectman Chair Neil Wishinsky said Wednesday.

Boston 2024 has proposed that Olympic Golf be played at The Country Club in Brookline, the oldest Country Club in the United States. It hosted the Ryder Cup in 1999. The city could also be used as part of the Olympic Marathon route.

Wishinsky and fellow selectman worry taxpayers could be saddled with the cost and wonders how they would handle traffic and public transit.

Mary Mazzio, a 1992 Olympic rower, thinks the concerns of town leaders are legitimate.

"Everything is so preliminary that for Brookline to do this seems like they're really jumping the gun. The plans that will be released will either fly or die on its own merits and I think that's really the point where we ought to have debate," Mazzio said Wednesday.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is pressuring Boston 2024 to release an updated plan. That plan is scheduled to be released in June. 

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