Paris joins race to host 2024 Summer Olympics

Paris officials confirmed Tuesday that their city will bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

With the announcement, the French capital becomes the fourth entry in the race, joining Boston, Rome and Hamburg, Germany.

“We believe that this bid and our goal to host the 2024 Games will excite, unite and enthuse the people of Paris, our entire nation and lovers of Olympic and Paralympic sport all over the world,” bid Chairman Bernard Lapasset was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

Paris has some history with the Summer Games, having hosted them in 1900 and 1924. It has lost in three more recent bids, but the French city of Albertville hosted the Winter Games in 1992.

The official launch for this latest campaign comes as U.S. Olympic officials face a decision about whether to stick with the bid from Boston, where polls show public support running low.

The Hungarian capital of Budapest is expected to bid in the near future, with local politicians offering a strong vote of support on Tuesday.

Candidates have until mid-September to submit an application. The International Olympic Committee is scheduled to select a host in 2017.