A committee created by the Massachusetts legislature met for the first time Tuesday to explore whether Boston should bid for the Summer Olympic Games in 2024.
The nine-member group is charged with analyzing all aspects of hosting the games from transportation to lodging to security.
“It would be more accurate to compare the Olympiad to a Super Bowl being held in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening for 19 consecutive days in multiple locations around the country,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Thompkins, a member of the committee.
The U.S. Olympic Committee says Boston would need 45,000 hotel rooms and an Olympic village that sleeps 16,500 athletes and coaches.
Boston committee members say the city would also need at least three new major sports complexes and an upgrade to the aging subway system.
John Fish, the CEO of Suffolk Construction, chairman of the committee says even if Boston doesn’t win the bid …
“This allows us to have this conversation," he said. "What does Boston need to look like and what does the commonwealth need to look at in the next 30 years, what should it look like, and how are these aligned in a bid for the 2024 Olympics?”
The committee plans to issue a final report on a possible Olympic bid by March 1.
