Maryland Leaders Endorse #DC2024 Summer Olympics Bid

As the Washington, D.C., region’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games continues, organizers say they are gathering support from the leaders of professional sports franchises in D.C. and Baltimore.

Conversations have been held with Baltimore Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, reports the Baltimore Business Journal, as well as with Kevin Planck, CEO of Baltimore-based Under Armour.

“We have had conversations with all the sports owners between here and Baltimore and they’ve all been very receptive,” Washington Olympics Chairman Russ Ramsey told Fox 5.

A Washington-area bid would incorporate the region’s existing sporting venues in DC, Virginia and Maryland, says The Washington Post, with only an Olympic stadium and athletes’ village needing to be built.

In June the U.S. Olympic Committee narrowed the list of cities vying to represent the country’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and Washington, D.C., is in the Final Four. The #DC2024 organization is competing against Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco to host the summer games.

Politicians in the region have also endorsed the bid, from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Washington Mayor Vincent Gray to Maryland’s Martin O’Malley.

O’Malley on Thursday said in a statement that hosting the Olympics will boost the entire region.

“As one of the greatest sporting events our world has ever known, the Olympics is one of the best diplomatic tools we have to transcend the walls that divide us and provide a spark of hope for the next generation,” O’Malley said. “Hosting the Olympics will foster a lasting sports, tourism and cultural legacy for our nation, while also highlighting Maryland and the Capital Region’s seamless coordination, strength, diversity, and vibrancy on the ultimate global stage.”

The Olympics have not been on U.S. soil since the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, NBC reports, and the last Summer Olympic Games were Atlanta in 1996. Los Angeles is the only city still in the running that has hosted the Olympics (1932 and 1984). San Francisco lost the U.S. bid to New York for the 2012 bid; New York lost to ultimate host London. Rio de Janeiro defeated Chicago in the 2016 bid. Tokyo will host the Olympics in 2020.

“This is the beginning of our community’s effort to bring the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the Capital Region,” said Ramsey in a statement in June. “The area is one of the most diverse, fastest-growing and dynamic regions in the world. Washington, Maryland and Virginia combined represent three of the most dynamic economies in the U.S.”

The U.S. Olympic Committee will select the city to run for the 2024 Olympics in 2015.

The International Olympic Committee will accept bids for the games the same year, The Washington Business Journal reports. A decision for the 2024 Olympics host city will be reached in 2017.