Boston 2024 execs last night announced that they "plan next week to release a full copy of the initial proposal submitted in December" to the USOC, according to Andrew Ryan of the BOSTON GLOBE. Boston 2024 "had refused for months to release the complete document but relented under pressure from the Boston City Council, where tempers flared at a hearing earlier in the day." The "abrupt about-face by Olympics organizers capped a fast-moving series of events initiated by Councilor Tito Jackson’s threat to subpoena records from Boston 2024." The fallout reached Boston Mayor Martin Walsh in Rome, where he was "attending a papal conference at the Vatican." Walsh in a statement called the fight over the documents “an unnecessary distraction in what should be a constructive civil discourse.” Boston 2024 Chair Steve Pagliuca: "Mayor Walsh and I spoke, and I agreed with him that we should release the full version of the preliminary bid package ... in order to continue to maintain this high standard of transparency." Jackson earlier yesterday "had failed in a push for an immediate vote to subpoena financial documents from Olympics organizers, but not before a contentious hearing" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/23). In Boston, Erin Smith notes most of the information from Boston 2024’s "secret bid book has already leaked -- except for two chapters detailing political support and the budget" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/23). Meanwhile, the BOSTON HERALD reports it "turns out No Boston Olympics may have a transparency problem itself." The nonprofit group "is declining" Walsh’s call to "disclose the names of its individual donors, as the group has insisted the organizing committee do" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/23).
PRUDENT PLANNING: In Boston, Mark Arsenault reports Boston 2024 would seek to buy $500M in insurance to "cover a loss of revenue if an event is canceled due to a major disaster," and $350M in coverage for decreased ticket revenue "if a major competitor dropped out" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/23). Also in Boston, Jack Encarnacao reports Boston 2024 "is reimbursing the city" for the $115,000 annual salary of Office of Olympic Planning Exec Dir Sara Myerson. But Myerson said that she is "no rubber stamp." Myerson said that she currently is "doing a line-by-line review of Boston 2024’s budget and revenue projections, and is 'eager to dive in' on insurance plans to guard against risks." Boston 2024 CEO Richard Davey said Myerson has “brought a lot of great insight and great work" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/23).
READY FOR THE NEXT STEP: Toronto Mayor John Tory said that the city "now has sports facilities to host international competitions that could previously only be held in Vancouver, leaving the door open for a possible future Olympic bid." Tory yesterday said that the Pan Am Games, which end Sunday, have "put Toronto on the global map for athletic events." The mayor added that he "won’t discuss a potential bid for the Olympic Games until after the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games are over" (CP, 7/22).
