Maybe the 6ixth time’s the charm.
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Toronto mayor John Tory said yesterday that there’s a ‘serious discussion’ underway for the city to launch another Olympic bid. It’ll be the sixth in Toronto’s history, earning the city a gold medal for failed attempts.
Momentum for a 2024 bid is building as Toronto proves itself as an admirable host of the current Olympics Junior, in which Canada is enjoying a record-high medal count.
“There’s a whole variety of international events and sporting competitions that we’re now in a position to host — which I think is good for Toronto, good for Ontario and good for Canada and the Olympics is one of those, obviously, of which there is great discussion,” Tory said at Queen’s Park.
But beyond boosting the delicate ego of a city that requires stroking every now and then through some sort of international recognition of its greatness, many residents aren’t sure how much “good” hosting what has become the world’s premiere celebration of sport advertising and security prowess will bring the capital of a province that is now the world’s most indebted sub-sovereign borrower. Just take a look at any comments section of news outlets reporting on the subject.
Mustering support for an Olympic bid has become as much a challenge for potential hosts over the past few decades as actually organizing the Games, even in cities that are already decently equipped with the venues and infrastructure – like Toronto – to pull off the endeavour. Boston, another 2024 candidate – maybe, kind of – has been mulling its decision to announce a formal bid for months. The top search for ‘Boston Olympics’ is currently occupied by a site aptly called ‘No Boston Olympics’.
A current Toronto Star poll reveals voters are split on whether the city should host in 2024.
Toronto can take inspiration from Rio’s awarding of the 2016 Summer Games in 2009, two years after it also hosted the Pan Am Games. Mayor Tory added an uninspiring “I guess everything’s on the table until you take it off the table” towards the end of the press conference, which is about as enlightening a response as “it is what it is” to an effort that will set the city, province, and country back billions of dollars.
Toronto – not you, the city – will have until Sept. 15 to make up its mind about the decision.
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