Los Angeles’ chances for hosting the Olympics in 2024 may have gotten stronger today, with Rome’s mayor saying she will not support her city’s bid.
The refusal by Mayor Virginia Raggi to back Rome’s bid could jettison that city’s effort, leaving just Paris, Budapest and Los Angeles to vie for the opportunity to host the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2024.
Raggi, who was elected in June, said she felt that the Games “are just not sustainable,” and hosting them would “just bring further debts,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
Raggi’s concerns touch on an issue Mayor Eric Garcetti and other boosters of a Los Angeles-hosted Olympics have touted in their bid — claiming Los Angeles is the most fiscally sustainable option because the needed sporting venues already exist.
The bid cities still in the running will need to submit the second part of their candidature applications in October, detailing their proposed Games’ governance, legal and venue funding plans.
The International Olympics Committee is scheduled to decide on a host city in September 2017.
