With one signature missing the Boston 2024 Olympic bid became effectively dead. Will Los Angeles be the replacement candidate?

On Monday mayor Martin J. Walsh refused to supply public guarantees for the 2024 Olympics. The document promising possible financial involvement in the project was required by the US Olympic Committee (USOC).

After lack of agreement on the issue, the Boston2024 landing page offered a statement from no-longer-organiser Steve Pagliuca: “We believe Boston would have been an excellent host for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but we know Boston’s future is still bright thanks to the love for our city we’ve witnessed over the last several months.”

Love for Boston is no necessarily that for Boston 2024 as polls suggested. Less than half of the population was recently drawn to the vision, especially with ongoing discussions on whether taxpayer money will or will not be needed (or rather: how much will be needed) to support this private bid.

Resignation of Boston was the key talking point in Kuala Lumpur, where the IOC is selecting the host of 2022 Winter Olympics (decision between Beijing and Almaty to come tomorrow). The national USOC is looking for alternative host cities to actually file a bid to the IOC.

Many speculations suggest Los Angeles and such choice is backed by Sir Craig Reedie, vice-chairman of the IOC. LA previously hosted the tournament twice (1932 and 1984) and has a lot of infrastructure either existing or proposed already as private investment. This includes the LA Memorial Coliseum, possible main stadium, but also nearby LAFC soccer stadium and two bids for a brand new NFL ground.