Another Massachusetts city is in the running to host an Olympic event if Boston hosts the 2024 Games.
Another Massachusetts city is in the running to host an Olympic event if Boston hosts the 2024 Games.
The committee trying to bring the Games to Boston has recommended that beach volleyball be played in Quincy.
The events would be played at Squantum Point Park. That's where Boston 2024 CEO Richard Davey says a 20,000 seat stadium would be built - a temporary facility that would be assembled on site, estimated to cost between 23 and 28 million dollars - all privately funded.
"It's actually quite fascinating," said Davey. "It takes weeks to build and then to take down so our impact should be quick and light but we hope a long lasting legacy will survive well past the games."
Beach volleyball was originally planned for the Boston Common, but when community groups complained about the potential longterm impact, Boston 2024 began to look elsewhere, and Quincy city leaders responded with open arms.
"We want the communities support before we give this a final blessing but I believe it has great potential," said Quincy Mayor Tom Koch. "This 2024 could be the great impetus to get our infrastructure up to snuff, which needs to happen anyway."
Koch and Norfolk County Sheriff Michael Bellotti say they love what the event could bring to the neglected park surrounded by water with a spectacular view of the city: Improved walkways, a new seawall, picnic and athletic areas and access to the MBTA ferry terminal.
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"We have a mayor who's vested in making sure all the constituents and residents of Squantum, Marina Bay and beyond, are represented and that this is a win win for all of us," said Bellotti.
Earlier in the day, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce held a panel with representatives of three former Olympic cities, including London, Atlanta and Salt Lake - all of whom spoke glowingly about the Games that they say were challenging to organize, but magical and transformative for the cities and their citizens.
Boston 2024 plans to announce additional venue hosts over the next several weeks.
The USOC chose Boston as the American nominee to bid for the 2024 Summer Games. The International Olympic Committee is scheduled to pick a host for the 2024 Summer Games in 2017, with Boston expected to compete against Hamburg, Germany, and Budapest, Hungary, as well as Rome and Paris.
