Competition for 2024 Summer Olympics thins as Hamburg bows out
Hamburg First Mayor Olaf Scholz reacts after the referendum on Hamburg’s Olympic bid is rejected.
One of Los Angeles’ main rivals in the competition to host the 2024 Summer Olympics has dropped out of the running.
Hamburg withdrew on Sunday after a slim majority of citizens in the German city voted not to support the bid.
“The result is bitter for us,” bid leader Nikolas Hill said, adding that “without the majority support of the citizens of Hamburg in 2024 we will not bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to our city.”
As of Sunday evening in Germany, officials put the results of the referendum at 48.4% in favor, 51.6% against. The bid committee quickly announced it would cease operations.
L.A. and Paris remain as the front-runners, with Rome and Budapest, Hungary, also in the race.
“With these strong competitors we all can look forward to an exciting Olympic Games 2024, whoever the winner will be,” an International Olympic Committee spokesman said in a statement.
Bid representatives recently visited IOC headquarters in Switzerland to participate in workshops.
The process will continue for nearly two years, with the IOC scheduled to select a host in the summer of 2017.
Twitter: @LATimesWharton
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