Since coming together in a Boston living room in November, 2013, No Boston Olympics has grown to an organization of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of supporters. We suspect that some (though definitely not all!) BMG contributors and readers count themselves among them. Our goal from the start has been to help provide a voice to those across Massachusetts who are skeptical of the Boston2024 cost/benefit equation, and want to see a more balanced and complete discussion of what the bid means for our communities.
This Monday we will be holding a Community Engagement Meeting to bring together residents across the Commonwealth who want to learn more about who we are, what we’re up to, and why we oppose Boston2024’s bid. We welcome people on all sides of the debate, and especially those who have yet to make up their minds.
We would love to have more engagement with the BMG community, so we encourage you to attend and later post with your thoughts — or even liveblog the event!
Please join us on Monday evening at the NonProfit Center near South Station! Meeting details are below and here.
No Boston Olympics Community Engagement Meeting
The NonProfit Center (near South Station)
89 South Street
Boston
Doors at 6pm. Program from 6:30-8:30. Learn more and RSVP here.
thebaker says
Cool!
sabutai says
There still remains some diversity of opinion around here, though.
jconway says
You seem to be savvier than most Olympic boosters, what would you do to salvage this train wreck and how would you design the games? I am genuinely asking, this is a snark free question. I honestly am curious to find out what a sensible alternative proposal would look like.
sabutai says
Hmm…don’t know I’m a booster, just trying not to close my mind. But, since you asked…
PR — swap out tone-deaf CEOs. Boston is a sports-mad town, and it’s ridiculous that prominent Boston athletes haven’t been recruited as spokespersons: Johnny Kelly, Aly Raisman, etc. They should be the face of the bid if you want the public to get excited. Put out a mock-up of a medals plaza at Fanueil Hall now so people can imagine themselves there. Guarantee X tickets now for local organizations and purchase. The Olympics can be attended by far more than the 1%, and it’s derelict that the organizers are letting others get away with saying otherwise.
Unity: Reach out to the realistic bid cities of Paris, Rome, and Hamburg. Find some minimal accord you can sign limiting overspending in pursuit of the games. A joint statement. They don’t want a deficit any more than you.
Venues – We have most of them. Steal plans to convert old venues…we won’t use a velodrome after the games, but it can be a great exhibition space. Make it the new home of some old museum (the Peabody?). The single biggest question for me is the track and field stadium. Logically, it should become the new home of something, but heaven knows we’d never replace Fenway. To be honest, I wouldn’t know what to suggest.
Infrastructure: People I think are a little over the top on this…I remember everyone rending their garments about what a colossal disaster the DNC was going to be back in 2004…and that was the easiest parking I’ve ever had in Boston. Bite the bullet and redo the green line.
It’s late at night, and this is a comment, so after a weekend of thinking I could do much better. But most of all, discussions like this should be out there — Boston 2024 needs to put their ideas out there, and not be afraid of the people who will attack anything they say. Beach volleyball on the common? Let’s see sketches, get numbers….the haters will hate and the lovers will love, but let your average Bostonian see what it would be like to be there.