New Plan for Olympics Would Create 41K Jobs, 8K Units of Housing

By FRANK O’LAUGHLIN (Patch Staff)

The group trying to bring the 2024 Summer Games to Boston revealed its overhauled Olympic bid Monday morning amid pressure from local residents across the Bay State.

Boston 2024’s new $4.6 billion plan would create jobs, housing, expand the tax base and leave the city with a $210 million surplus.

The group’s new plans come after skeptics complained, saying the privately funded Boston 2024 withheld details of to prevent the public from determining if the games could be funded without taxpayer money.

“This has been a transition from a conceptual plan,” Bid Chair Steve Pagliuca said. “We’ve now done the ‘little-picture’ thinking. We think we’ve made the major leaps.”

The new proposal calls for the construction of two new neighborhoods at Widett Circle and Columbia Point. Construction would include 8,000 units of housing, new hotels, neighborhood amenities and a permanent, 15-acre city park. 41,000 additional jobs would be created to accommodate construction projects.

Many opponents favor the upgrades the games would bring to Boston, but feel they can be achieved more effectively and efficiently.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)