Image via Boston 2024

The struggling Boston 2024 Olympic bid, which saw a decline in its support in yet another WBUR poll last week, is officially hinting at a reversal of its stance on a public referendum. Up until now, the bid (not to mention the bid’s chief political supporter, Mayor Walsh) has publicly stood against the idea of a referendum, conceding only that they “would not oppose it if an initiative was taken.”

Over the weekend however, Boston 2024 CEO Richard Davey dropped a hint that the bid might be altering its position on a ballot initiative.

“It’s clear we have to find a measure to show that support,” Davey told the Globe. “How we measure, we’re open to that.”

Richard Davey (courtesy MassDOT)

Davey and others, including Walsh, have stopped short of openly calling for a referendum, but it’s clear that the bid’s recent troubles and declining support have caused a reappraisal.

At a Cambridge community meeting last week, this idea was highlighted when one resident got up to ask a question, noting the fact that reports indicate Hamburg (who was recently chosen as the possible German bid for 2024) will hold a public referendum.

“Why has a referendum not been automatic as it is in Hamburg? Why are they doing democracy better than us?”

An insufficient response to questions such as those has proven a debilitating factor for Boston 2024. This helps to explain the shift in Davey’s tone towards a vote.

In a further attempt to garner support, Boston 2024 took out a full-page ad in Monday’s edition of the Globe, listing possible benefits for the city. The bid’s campaign to regain support is only just beginning, and it’s clear that in order to get at least 60-percent approval, they will have to do more than merely this:

 

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