Boston 2024 settles all debts related to failed Olympics and Paralympics bid

Boston 2024 have settled all debts related to their failed bid to host the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics ©Boston 2024

Boston 2024 has settled all debts related to the city’s failed bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in nine years’ time, according to a spokesman for the Committee.

It had been reported that they had a shortfall of more than $4 million (£2.5 million/€3.5 million) in outstanding payroll obligations and unpaid invoices, which was disputed by Boston 2024, but these have now been cleared.

According to the Boston Globe, the debt has been settled, with those who helped out with Boston’s now defunct bid to bring the Olympics and Paralympics to the United States for the first time since Atlanta in 1996 taking less than they are owed.

They will consider work which hasn’t been paid for by Boston 2024 as a donation to their failed effort to secure the hosting rights for the Games.

Additional cash was also reportedly donated by various Committee members and former leaders of the bid in order to clear any outstanding funds.

“Every outstanding obligation that we know of has been resolved,” Doug Rubin, of the political consulting firm Northwind Strategies, who worked for Boston’s bid, said.

Debts reportedly ranged from more than $1 million (£750,000/€900,000) owed to Elkus Manfredi Architects to a far smaller amount of a few hundred dollars on a catering bill, as well as $7,500 (£4,800/€6,600) committed to the David Ortiz Children’s Fund.

The report into the debts lists a number of other companies who have allegedly not received payment in full, including British-based consultancy JTA (Jon Tibbs Consultancy) and American firm Interpublic Group, the parent company of Weber Shandwick.

Los Angeles replaced Boston as the United States Olympic Committee's candidate for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in September ©Getty Images

insidethegames was, however, told by a bid insider that the documents were "unchecked and unauthorised preliminary accounts" and were hastily prepared the day after the bid ended.

Boston’s bid to host the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics was dropped by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) in July, largely due to vastly decreasing public support and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh refusal to sign a host city contract at the time, which the USOC had asked him to do.

Rising costs were also a factor in their bid being withdrawn as opposition claimed organisers weren’t being transparent with the public.

Los Angeles was then chosen as the USOC’s candidate, with their bid officially confirmed at the start of last month.

The city will go up against Budapest, Hamburg, Paris and Rome in an intriguing bid race, with the winner due to be announced at the 2017 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in the Peruvian capital Lima.