Los Angeles’ odds of hosting the 2024 Olympics are looking phenomenally better today. On Wednesday, Rome’s mayor Virginia Raggi said she opposed Italy’s bid to host the 2024 games, believing they would only burden taxpayers and increase the debt.
“This city is unlivable,” Raggi added, alluding to a number of financial and infrastructure problems, as well as issues surrounding public corruption. “We need to focus on that.
“We have a much more ambitious project for Rome than the one for the 2024 Games. We want to upgrade the services, give back to citizens a city that is as worthy as any other European capital.”
Raggi’s announcement may effectively end Rome’s campaign to host the event, taking a major competitor out of the running. That would leave just Paris and Budapest to compete against L.A., since Boston and Hamburg have already abandoned the idea.
Raggi’s announcement comes amid growing skepticism over the true value of hosting the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee will decide on the host city in September 2017.