State Looking for Consultant to Study Boston Olympic Bid
Leaders on Beacon Hill have advanced a plan to hire a consultant who will look into Boston’s Olympic bid, Governor Charlie Baker’s office announced Monday. The Republican governor worked with Democratic leaders—Senate President Stan Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert DeLeo—to write a request for proposals.
The plan, which had been in the works in recent weeks, is meant to provide an outside analysis of Olympic committee Boston 2024’s plan, and whether it will put state or local taxpayer money at risk.
“An outside analysis will help us determine the potential impact of the games and ensure Boston 2024’s plan will not unfairly burden taxpayers,’’ Baker said in a statement.
The Governor’s Office of Housing and Economic Development, ironically enough, will pay up to $250,000 for the analysis.
The state is looking for “assessment of the impacts of the proposed Boston 2024 Summer Olympic plan, including, but not limited to costs, potential revenues, local considerations, funding mechanisms, insurance requirements, protection of taxpayers, required infrastructure investments, and identification of potential responsibilities of the Commonwealth as they relate to the Boston 2024 Summer Olympic proposal and both the United States Olympic Committee and International Olympic Committee’s requirements,’’ a news release from Baker’s office read.
The administration plans to select a consultant by the end of next month, according to the release. The analysis will be due in July.
Last week, a report from the Boston Foundation and conducted by UMass’s economic research arm, the Donahue Institute, found that Boston 2024’s plans could result in billions of dollars in short term economic impact. As Smith College economist Andrew Zimbalist wrote in a Boston Globe Opinion piece published Friday, and as the Boston Foundation report acknowledged, the analysis was based on the assumption that Boston 2024’s budget will hold steady.
The state’s report will in part examine the “potential risks of overruns,’’ according to the release. In the past, the International Olympic Committee has required host governments to agree to guarantee to cover any costs that cannot be covered privately, though Boston 2024 says it will not submit an Olympic bid if it cannot secure an insurance package to protect the city and the state.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said in a statement that he supports the plan for the state to hire a consultant.
“My top priority is to bring the highest level of transparency to the Olympic process and I commend the Governor, Senate President and Speaker for taking this step,’’ Walsh said. “Hosting the Olympic Games holds great economic potential for the city, and I look forward to working together on all aspects of this bid to ensure that we are moving forward in a way that is best for the residents of Boston and the Commonwealth.’’
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