Buzzards Bay in New Bedford is the new proposed site for Olympic and Paralympic sailing, should Boston be chosen to host the 2024 Summer Games.
On a giant lawn overlooking a very windy Buzzards Bay in New Bedford, the Boston 2024 Summer Olympic bid organizers announced the bay as their proposed sailing venue. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell says he persuaded them to move the location from Boston Harbor.
“What makes this place a singularly advantageous site for a sailing event is the proximity of spectators who would be right here on this lawn, to the event," Mitchell said. "Ordinarily at major sailing events you have to bring a pair of binoculars to see what’s going on."
It was easy to see the three U.S.A. sailboats Boston 2024 requested circle in the background. Rich Davey, CEO of Boston 2024, says it’s the first of several changes to the heavily criticized bid originally submitted to the U.S. Olympic Committee in December.
“As we begin to roll out our 2.0 plan, which is today our very first venue announcement, you know we have been listening and going out across the state, across the city of Boston, making sure that our venues were right for neighborhoods, right for communities, right for cities,” Davey said.
This city also hosts the annual Buzzards Bay Regatta, the largest event of its kind in the U.S. Davey says there was nothing wrong with Boston Harbor as a sailing venue, but the water in New Bedford is warmer, and the wind is more consistent.
