Could the Washington area play host to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games?
Local nonprofit DC 2024 announced its intention Tuesday to submit a bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.
The group says the district, Maryland and Virginia are more than equipped to handle the event.
"With more state-of-the-art sports infrastructure in a 40-mile radius than any other U.S. city, thousands of hotels and lodging options, and a vast and expanding transportation system, the Greater Washington region is one of the best and most qualified in the world to host an event of this magnitude...," DC 2024's President Bob Sweeney said in a statement released at 10 a.m.
The group says hosting the Olympics would cost the region $4 billion to $6 billion. But they claim with proper planning, the economic impact could be greater than the cost.
News of a possible bid got quick support from Redskins owner Dan Snyder, who released this statement:
"We look forward to assisting the Washington Olympic Committee in presenting the nation's capital and fabulous surrounding region to the Olympic sporting world. We are fortunate to have most of the venues needed in an internationally recognized city that is accustomed to staging high-profile events."
DC 2024 suggests using existing stadiums in the region, and building out the region's existing transportation and housing options.
The announcement comes six months after the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) sent letters to the mayors of 35 U.S. cities to gauge their interest in hosting the games.
Over the next few months, D.C. 2024 group will work on its bid to the USOC, which is expected to make a decision on a U.S. city partner in September 2015.
This isn't the first time Washington's thrown its hat into an Olympic ring. A joint effort by D.C. and Baltimore to host the 2012 Olympics failed in 2002. New York ultimately won the chance to be the United States' candidate, but London's bid was selected.
The 2012 D.C. Olympics committee said their Olympic plan was built around a "relatively compact corridor" through Baltimore, Prince George's County, Washington and Northern Virginia.
The Olympics last came to the United States in 2002, when Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Games. Atlanta was most recent U.S. city to host the Summer Games, in 1996.