How Bostonians Defeated the Olympics

On January 8, 2015, many of Boston’s wealthiest residents celebrated the announcement that the United States Olympic Committee had chosen Boston over Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco as the U.S.'s candidate to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. President Obama sent his congratulations to the city, the Massachusetts governor labeled the decision “great news,” and Boston’s mayor Marty Walsh said it was “an exceptional honor” to be chosen as the host city.

By that summer, though, Walsh announced that he would not sign the Olympic Host City Contract. “I cannot commit to putting the taxpayers at risk,” Walsh said. The USOC, along with the Boston's city government, withdrew Boston's bid. That night, a motley group of Boston residents gathered in a local pub to celebrate the David-and-Goliath-esque defeat.