BOSTON (AP) – On Boston’s last day as a potential Olympic host, Chris Dempsey ate lunch at an Irish pub across from City Hall and waited for the bid for the 2024 Summer Games to crumble.
A waitress recognized Dempsey, the co-chair of the opposition group No Boston Olympics, from last week’s televised debate. A customer walked by and applauded, but his attempt at a high five was rebuffed.
“We’ll see,” Dempsey said.
It was about two hours after Mayor Marty Walsh refused to cover Olympic cost overruns, dooming the bid, and two hours before the USOC withdrew its support. Dempsey explained his hesitation in a truly Bostonian way: Referring to the stolen base that helped propel the Red Sox to the 2004 World Series, he said, “I want to make sure there’s no Dave Roberts-style comeback.”
Later Monday afternoon, the USOC announced that it was, indeed, backing away from Boston in what was described as a mutual agreement to give the United States hope of hosting its first Summer Games since 1996. Officials said they would explore other cities, with the most likely being Los Angeles.