The Federal City Council applauds the efforts of Russ Ramsey, Ted Leonsis, and the full DC 2024 Leadership Team to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Washington, D.C. Although the outstanding DC 2024 bid was not accepted, the team deserves high praise for over a year of hard work to unite local leaders and paint an inspirational vision of what DC could look like a decade from today, with continued collaboration across the region.
Despite the setback, D.C. should move forward with many components of the plan presented to the U.S. Olympic Committee. For example, the city cannot sustain its current pace of growth without strong investment in infrastructure to connect the region. And many current residents will continue to struggle to live in the city without wider availability of affordable housing options. Likewise, the Anacostia River and many of the areas around it need focused attention, investment and development. The 2024 Games would have been an ideal catalyst to bring people together to create a lasting, vibrant, Central Park-like area with a safe, clean river in the middle of the nation’s capital. There is no good reason that the city and the federal government shouldn’t work together do this in the next ten years.
Washington, D.C. is much more than our monuments and museums. We are a vibrant, diverse and growing city, with some of the best dining, sports, and entertainment in the nation. The DC 2024 team’s efforts helped showcase everything that the city has to offer. Their tireless work over the last year to plan targeted investments in the city’s future should be repurposed and used as a foundation for action.
