Boston '24 Chair John Fish, "the once-ubiquitous" leader of the effort to land the Games, "has reined in his public appearances, and the bid committee now confirms that it will be broadening the chorus of key supporters who will be speaking for the group," according to Mark Arsenault of the BOSTON GLOBE. Expect to "see more" of Celtics co-Owner & Managing Partner Steve Pagliuca. Boston '24 CEO Richard Davey "is also expected to take a larger public role." The committee "will continue to deploy architect David Manfredi at public events" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/11). Meanwhile, in Boston, Frank Phillips wrote nowhere else but in that city "would the mere mention of hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics set off back-stabbing brawls, the settling of old scores, and the reopening of long-festering political fault lines." So far, pro-Olympic forces "have been their own worst enemy." There "is much to win -- and so much to lose -- for some of the state’s major players and operatives." Fish "didn’t get his money by being a nice guy," and payback "can be ... difficult." His old enemies "are lying in the weeds, waiting for this kind of moment." Fish's style "is brusque and his presentations disjointed." He has "struggled to articulate the case for the Games." Pagliuca's problem is that if Fish "crashes, as some predict, Pagliuca would need to decide whether to assume a bigger role." That "could be tough, particularly" if Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker "are keeping their distance" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/11).
BOSTON'S BENEFIT: In Boston, Neil Swidey wrote under the header, "How To Rethink The Olympic Bid For Boston’s Benefit." Residents, with planning and discipline, "could create a better city for all -- even if the torch never makes it" there. With public support for Boston '24 "starting to crater, now is the perfect time" for Walsh to "reclaim control of a process that he never initiated but which could end up, if he’s not careful and lucky, swallowing his tenure." Walsh can make clear that Boston "will harness the Olympic momentum to craft a plan to strengthen the city, not just please the IOC" (BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE, 4/7 issue).
