Maryland has thrown its hat in the ring to bring the 2024 Summer Olympic Games to the area, according to the Gazette.
Though hosting the event would provide a multibillion-dollar economic boost, it would also bring the challenges that come with building an Olympic stadium, the Gazette reported.
However, Dan Knise, who led a previous bid to bring the 2012 Summer Games to Maryland, told the Gazette that the region has an edge due to already existing facilities like M&T Bank Stadium, Oriole Park, FedEx Field and the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Bidding for the 2024 games officially begins in 2015 and will be announced in 2017.
Knise, who also serves as president and CEO of the Washington-Baltimore 2012 Regional Coalition, told The Baltimore Sun he is optimistic about the venture.
A 2000 study showed that if Maryland's 2012 bid had been successful, the Olympics would then have cost about $2 billion but had an economic impact of $5.3 billion, in addition to creating about 70,000 temporary jobs, The Sun reported.
David Warchawski, a Baltimore public relations executive, told The Sun he thinks the area is “well-poised to put on a strong bid.”
"We do incredibly well when stacked up against other regions," Warchawski, who also participated in the 2012 bid, told The Sun. "Yes, we would have to build, but we are so much further along than other cities. Baltimore and Washington are well-versed in handling security and high-value personalities.”
How would the Maryland-D.C. area be affected if it hosted the 2024 Olympic Games? Is this something you would want to see happen or not? Tell us in the comments below.
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