Should the OLYMPICS Happen in Boston?

I'm pretty much in agreement. The Olympics seem to be corrupt and ridiculously expensive and for some reason you have to beg to get the nod to host. Why on Earth would the Olympic committee expect heads of state to come lobby them for permission to host the games? I don't know why you have to build a ton of buildings which have very limited use and put on a monster show for an athletic event. Let the athletes be the show on the field, hold beach volleyball on a beach, have track meets at a local university, have the swim meets at the local club. I will say that if the goal is to almost entirely use existing infrastructure, the Boston - NY corridor is probably a good place. You already have a fair number of world class sports venues for tennis, rowing, swimming, software, track, etc.

This is the Greek Aquatic Center today


The Greek Field Hockey stadium


The Beijing Beach Volleyball Stadium


More pictures here: http://news.distractify.com/culture/sports/haunting-images-of-abandoned-olympic-venues/

I think there has to be some sort of balance between the two -- what you propose would not be able to accomodate those wanting to view the events.

Do you really honestly think they could hold an international swimming competition of the likes of the olympics at a local swim club? It would be difficult to even have the competitors fit it such a venue forget about the coaches, spectators, etc.

But I do agree building huge venues that later become unused does not make sense. Rather I feel it should be well thought out on where/what make sense. For example would it make more sense for say a country to host the event - but have the competitions in various areas of the country where it would make most sense and have the capacity to host that particular sport rather than build to suit?

Hold track for instance, in an area that already has a prominent track capacity - then limited building to suit would be needed. Holding all the sports in one area makes it difficult -- simply for capacity.

As an aside -- I honestly would love to have this event in Boston - simply from a selfish side of view, I would love to have it in my own backyard. Granted I would probably work from home during a good chunk of it as I'd imagine it would be next to impossible to commute to work.

Spreading the events across an entire country or region makes a lot of sense. Kayaking is the prime example. Every summer Olympic venue builds a kayaking course and promptly shuts it down after the Olympics. Swimming is a real problem because the only time you need a pool with 5000 spectators is a the Olympics. There are plenty of good pools (every college with a swim team probably has an Olympic quality pool) but no seating.

I wonder if it is possible/make sense to instead of building a new swimming facility to modify ones in existence. I wonder if it could be re-modified afterwards - sort of some temporary additional seating that could later be changed maybe by then building additional walls and using the space then as training rooms or other atheletic uses.

If USA was to hold the Olympics Boston makes some sense..there are plenty of Hotels within a 3 hour train ride, and there is enough population near that we could have some hope of getting some use out of the facilities after. BUT, I want to see all major nations refusing to put in a bid till/unless the Olympic committee is reformed. I need to see

1) The committee approving plans that are long term sustainable for the hosts

2) that are a lot cheaper to build out

3) I want a new system to be but in place to decide what events will be held, with serious consideration given to cutting the number. We now have 11,000 participants, which I think is too big.

4) I want events to be free for viewing over the internet, provided by the IOC, understanding that national broadcast rights will then be less valuable. The big money it takes to view the olympics now (either by end consumer of commercial buyers) is in direct violation of the spirit of the olympics. The olympics are now paid for by the corporate class, and they use this product to push their propaganda. This needs to end.

All I know is that London 2012 was obviously expensive but a massive success.
The area was mainly a shithole before, barring a nice little allotment area and a few other bits and pieces, but it is now a vibrant, modern park with sporting facilities beyond compare.
The athletes accommodation has been tweaked to supply affordable housing for workers and students, and moves are afoot to develop it further, with a view to creating a whole new modern district for the ever growing population.

To hold it in London was a great idea, as London has the capacity to make full use of fhe amenities well into the future, and cheap housing and rental was desperately needed.

I was totally against the Olympics being held here in the run up, but it has turned out to be a very good thing for London, all in all.

My thinking is that an area around Mount Olympus should be purchased by the world and a stupendpus permanent Olympic park created, with expenses shared around those countries that can afford it.

The weather can be guaranteed. The costs will be easily afforded, when split twenty odd ways, and everyone gets to go on a sunny trip to the games without all the bidding and bribery about who is going to get it.

It would cut the waste caused by derelict sites, and all those with their noses in the trough can be cut out of the scene, as there would be no need for them to travel around the world considering sites.

hopefully not.

traffic is bad enough now without the huge influx of athletes, media and tourists that the summer games would bring...

long term yes. but I think that idea has to wait for the creation of a global government.

you would vacate for a month, and put your place on Airnb.

What?

Can't see that happening anytime in the next 1000 years.

Global warming, a human population too high for the Earth to support, terrorism, governments losing control of the nukes, and the end of the current economic system are all going to conspire to force the issue long before the next 100 years are up. Increasingly the problems of man can only be solved with a global government. We either adapt to the new reality or die.

I couldn't possibly wish that much hell on Boston. I personally campaigned to keep the Olympics out of NYC back when NYC was considered for 2012(?). By that I mean I wrote half a dozen snail mail letters and about a dozen emails.

They would need to shut down much of the regular economy for two weeks, because without closing a lot of roads to cars I dont see how they move all of these people. For Boston I dont see how this makes sense, they are going to loss money overall for two weeks, then they presumably have too many sports venues sucking up space. I assume Bostonians know that they are being asked to take one for team USA.

Compared to FIFA the IOC is a model of propriety. Best you don't do it, you'll only come up short compared to London. Btw, there's still plenty going on in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/

The MBTA would also be overwhelmed and crushed. It's a great system. But to be fair, it's a small system with small trains.

The thing is many companies in Boston have offices outside the city as well and many also have the ability for employees to work from home. I remember when he hadoes to evacute after the màrathonew bombing and then could not go back in the office. Most of us worked from home whike others wento to an office in the suburbs.

It would be difficult but not impossbile. The positive is therected would not be the student population during the summer.

I liked having the Olympics in Los Angeles, but that was '84; we sat on the grass in the Marina and watched the womens marathon go by..

Now I pretty much find the extravagance in many olympic venues ridiculous/troubling in a lot of ways.

LA had 6,800 participants, the games now run 11,000, a big difference. The Olympics have become bloated in more ways than one.

The Olympics are the greatest thing on Earth.................