The sponsor of legislation creating a nine-member commission to examine whether Boston could host the summer Olympics says she sees a will to explore the issue.
On the heels of a Boston Globe report Tuesday that a private group called the Boston Olympic Exploratory Committee wants to bring the games to Boston in 2024, Lowell Sen. Eileen Donoghue expressed surprise about the story during a radio interview but said the issue is worth examining.
“It may have sounded far-fetched at one point but I have spoken to folks who are big proponents of this and there seems to be at least a will to try and put a coalition together and I think it would be great,” Donoghue told WCAP-AM. “It comes with a price tag and that’s where the details need to be flushed out I think over the course of time. But at least if we had some feasibility, some real data as to, you know, could this get done? These things have to be planned well in advance. So as we’re looking down the road you know another ten years or so, let’s hope it gets some support in the Legislature.”
Donoghue concurred with the station’s hosts that the Olympics could attract private funds to help shore up area infrastructure.
“It’s worth a study,” she said. “It’s worth talking about.”
Under her bill, a commission made up of six legislators and three gubernatorial appointees would be charged with reviewing infrastructure, transportation, lodging, event locations, costs and benefits, with its report due by Jan. 1, 2014.
Cosponsors of Donoghue’s bill (S 1623) include Rep. Sarah Peake (D-Provincetown), Rep. Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), Sen. Michael Knapik (R-Westfield) and Sen. Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett).
