What's Next For 2024 US Olympic Bid? Could Los Angeles, Washington DC Still Host Olympics?

When the U.S. Olympic Committee decided Monday to sever ties with Boston regarding a 2024 bid, the question of what other city, if any, quickly was raised. Other cities are tight for time, but some interest has been expressed in at least two venues that previously had hoped to bring the games to their streets.

Both Washington and Los Angeles were seen as potential sites for a 2024 U.S. Olympics. Following the Boston announcement, Russ Ramsey, chairman of Washington 24, the nonprofit formed to push an Olympic bid for the capital, released a statement saying the group was saddened by the decision but ultimately will continue to support American athletes.

A potential bid by the District of Columbia originally was predicated on an agreement that if the district was going to hold the Olympics, an extension on the Metro system's silver line was required.

Elsewhere, the Associated Press published an article speculating whether Los Angeles has what it takes to restart its Olympic bid. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti released a statement saying he hadn’t been in touch with the Olympic Committee but he was open to talking about Los Angeles replacing Boston in the bidding process.

The AP noted Los Angeles previously held the games in 1984 and played a major role in revitalizing the Olympic brand. That was four years after the 1980 Moscow boycott, and Tehran was the only other city to consider bidding seriously for the games.

Things fell apart in Boston after what has been referred to as an overly ambitious original bidding process on behalf of local leaders to get the U.S. committee to choose Beantown over other American cities. Residents, including the Mayor Marty Walsh, expressed concern the city would be stuck with a massive bill for the games that would not be paid off easily.

Should one of those cities decide to revamp its attempt to go for the gold, the U.S. Olympic Committee has until mid-September to decide.