In this Friday, March 6, 2015 photo Boston 2024’s CEO Richard Davey answers a councilman’s question during the first meeting of the Boston City Council on the city’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics at city hall in Boston. Since the euphoria of being chosen as the U.S. bid city in January, the road has turned bumpy for organizers. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
BOSTON (AP) — Organizers of Boston’s bid to host the 2024 summer Olympics proposed on Monday their first western Massachusetts venue, the Deerfield River, to host the canoe slalom and become the site of a paddle sports training center that would be the first of its kind in the Northeast.
“The Deerfield River provides a naturally challenging course for the world’s best canoe slalom athletes,” said Boston 2024 Partnership CEO Rich Davey. “We have an opportunity to leave behind a world-class training facility that will attract even more kayakers, rafters and paddlers to the region beyond the Games.”
A site for the training center and the slalom competition wasn’t specified. Boston 2024 cited the river’s steep course through Franklin and Berkshire counties, and its controlled water flows from five hydroelectric dams.
RICHARD NEAL
Rick Sullivan, president of Western Massachusetts Economic Development Corporation, has said the region had a good chance to host whitewater and long-distance cycling events, and preliminary basketball and volleyball games.
He said Monday his group is excited by the Deerfield River selection and looks forward to continued collaboration with the bid committee to explore other opportunities.
“The Western Mass EDC and Sports Commission have been strong advocates for expanding opportunities related to the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics to western Massachusetts,” said Sullivan. “We are excited that Boston 2024 has selected the Deerfield River to host whitewater canoe and kayak slalom events, and we look forward to our continued collaboration with the bid committee to explore other opportunities for this region’s involvement.”
“I am a strong supporter of Boston 2024 because the Olympic Games can, through the concept of regional equity, benefit the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts. From the Berkshires to Buzzards Bay, many of our pristine natural resources and historical locations would make great venues for a variety of athletic competitions,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal. “In Franklin and Berkshire Counties, the Deerfield River is a terrific choice to host the exciting canoe slalom event. By utilizing every corner of the Bay State, Boston 2024 is showing the world all that Massachusetts has to offer.”
The U.S. Olympic Committee chose Boston as its nominee in a surprise move in January. The effort has struggled to gain traction locally. The bid organizers say they plan to use resources in Boston and around the state, and are developing venue plans that reflect significant local input.
Last week, they announced that Boston TD Garden would host basketball finals and gymnastics and that suburban Quincy would host beach volleyball.
The International Olympic Committee is to pick a host city in 2017. International competitors include Hamburg, Germany, and Budapest, Hungary, as well as Rome and Paris.
Each year, more than 150,000 paddlers, rafters, and kayakers visit the Deerfield River to experience some of the most challenging courses in the region.
“The Northeast has a rich history of canoe slalom racing and we are very excited at the prospect of having a new, world-class training facility on the Deerfield River,” said Wade Blackwood, CEO of USA Canoe/Kayak.
