Boston Selected as bid to Host the 2024 Summer Olympics
Published on January 09, 2015
Arlington County will continue to explore alternative funding for the planned Aquatics, Health and Fitness Facility at Long Bridge Park, County Board Chair Mary Hynes said after the U.S. Olympic Committee announced that Boston is its choice as the city to represent the United States in its bid to host the summer 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
County leadership previously voiced strong support for Washington D.C.’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Games Arlington expected Long Bridge Park, which includes an Aquatics, Health and Fitness Facility, to be included in Washington 2024 Committee’s plan for the Olympics.
Last summer, the County postponed construction plans for Phase 2 of Long Bridge Park, a multi-million dollar capital investment that included the Aquatics, Health and Fitness Facility because of a funding gap between the County’s construction budget and the lowest bid. “Despite this setback, we remain committed to deliver this voter-approved facility within the planned budget, and with no additional County taxpayer funds being used beyond those currently identified in the most recently adopted FY 2015-FY2024 Capital Improvement Plan,” said County Manager Barbara Donnellan. “Our goal is to deliver all phases of the Long Bridge Park project as identified in the Long Bridge Park Master Plan,” adopted by the County Board in 2013. “The 2024 Summer Olympics was one avenue, but there are other creative alternatives to consider that do not require us to go back to the taxpayer for more money to build the facility.”
Over the next several months, Donnellan and her staff will seek potential partnerships and sponsorships – including naming rights opportunities -- to leverage private sector investments and move the project forward. She plans to come back to the County Board in mid-2015, with an update on the project and her recommendations.
Long Bridge Park remains a strategic investment that will underpin Crystal City’s revitalization, providing a range of health, fitness and recreational opportunities for generations. The County continues to implement the Long Bridge Park Master Plan with work on Phase 3a, which consists of entry and play features adjacent to fields 3 and 4. The project is currently in design, and construction is anticipated to be completed in 2015.
Arlington, VA., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. Slightly smaller than 26 square miles, it is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, and one of only a handful with the prized Aaa/AAA/AAA bond rating. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods and quality schools, and has received numerous awards for Smart Growth and transit-oriented development. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world -- including the Pentagon -- Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.