After the nonprofit Washington 2024, an organization that is supporting bringing the 2024 Summer Olympics to Washington, D.C., recently launched its website, The Baltimore Sun published an article examining what Maryland’s role would be in hosting the Olympics, which still remains largely undefined.
Economics Professor Dennis Coates was quoted in the story and said in order for D.C. to manage hosting the Olympics, it would need to host events in Maryland.
“I think there is no way D.C. can manage it if they don’t get a buy-in from Maryland,” said Coates. “They’re probably going to use facilities at FedEx [Field].” He added: “The problem I would have as the governor is, ‘You want us to contribute but what are we getting in return?’ When people look at this, it won’t be the Maryland Olympics. It will be the Washington Olympics.”
Staging the Olympics “probably doesn’t make sense financially,” Coates said. “But if it makes sense anywhere, this is as likely a place as any. I say that because we have lots of stadiums in place and basketball arenas that can be used for gymnastics competitions. We also have pretty good roads, a good Metro system and excellent airports. In that regard, we would have lower costs. We wouldn’t have to build all those things.”
To read the full article in The Baltimore Sun, click here.
