Washington, DC Announces Leadership Team And Launches New Website For 2024 Olympic Games

Washington, DC took a huge step forward today in their desire to host the 2024 Olympic Games with the announcement of the leadership team along with the launch of a brand new website highlighting some of the key factors as to why the capitol of the United States would be a great host for the Olympics, as well as with support for community involvement.

The leadership team features multiple names that with their influence can help to truly make these games a reality. The acting chairman and CEO of the project is Russ Ramsey. Ramsey is an expert in investment banking and with his expertise will be able to bring money into the project.

Ted Leonsis will serve as the vice chairman, and he might be fitted than any other man for the position as his name and Washington sports go hand in hang. Leonsis is the majority shareholder and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, a company that owns the Washington Capitals NHL team, the Washington Wizards NBA team, and the Washington Mystics WNBA team.

Former NFL commissioner from 1989-2006, Paul Tagliabue, CEO and founder of Underarmour Kevin Plank, and former Mayor of Washington from 1999-2007 Anthony Williams, will all be part of the team.

The team includes numerous individuals with plenty of experience with mixed backgrounds of sports and business that all hope to bring success to this project.

If the 2024 Olympics are held in Washington, it could mean big things for the sport of swimming. Currently, swimming is on a rise and with the return of Michael Phelps the continued interest in American swimming is soaring. With a games held on American soil it can only push swimmers in the States to train even harder with more to focus on.

As one of the powerhouse countries in swimming, it would put a huge focus on the sport at the Olympic Games.

Not to mention, Katie Ledecky, arguably one of the greatest swimmers in the world at the moment in the freestyle events is a native of Washinton, DC. She currently trains with the Nations Capital Swim Club where she will remain for this year before taking her training to Stanford. With an event like that at home, there’s no doubt it will give Ledecky excitement to perform at an unprecedented level.

On the website, there are multiple photos of swimming which already shows the growing interest in America and the rest of the world. To see the website, click here.

List Of Leaders

  • Russ Ramsey – Chairman & CEO
  • Ted Leonsis – Vice Chairman
  • Joseph Rigby
  • Paul Tagliabue – NFL Commissioner 1989-2006
  • Anthony T. Pierce
  • Mark D. Lerner
  • Sheila Johnson
  • Kevin Plank – CEO/founder of Underarmour
  • Denise Rolark-Barnes
  • Anthony Williams – Mayor of Washington 1999-2007
  • Mark Ein
  • Robert G. Hisaoka
  • Jeong H. Kim
  • Rosie Allen-Herring
  • Joseé Andreés
  • Jim Hudson
  • Linda Rabbit
  • Mark Weinberger
  • Neil Cohen

 

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BaldingEagle
9 years ago

Hopefully the heat and humidity issues can be worked out for the events affected. Perhaps June or September would be great. DC is historically a miserable place in the summer. I grew up there, so I know. Through the early 1970’s, DC was considered a hardship post for diplomats from Europe. Diplomats and our own legislators left DC in late summer.

That said, I’m a big proponent for the “visuals” that a DC bid will produce:
A marathon along the National Mall (past museums, monuments, and the Capital).
A triathlon, starting in the Potomac River, starting at the Kennedy Center, perhaps exiting at the Jefferson Memorial in the Tidal Basin.
Sand Volleyball on the National Mall.
… Read more »

Tim
9 years ago

I just don’t see how the logistics would work. You’d have massive traffic problems (only been here for 3.5 years, but traffic in the beltway has gotten noticeably worse just in that short amount of time…much less in 10 years), the majority of the facilities would need to be built outside of DC itself, which means Northern VA or MD. Unless they build a sports complex out past Tysons or somewhere in MD, I can’t think of anywhere the could have all the venues close together and still remain close-ish to DC. If they build a venue over here, and a venue over there, with the traffic, you could be looking at over an hour commute between the venues!

TheTroubleWithX
9 years ago

It’d be awesome…if they can pull it off. But DC area traffic is already bad enough. It’d be great to, say, have some events in the shadow of the Washington Monument, but I just don’t see that happening. I wonder how much you would have to spread out all the different venues, and how many government offices could be shut down or operated with reduced staff in order to help cut down on commuter traffic.

Would they modify an existing pool, build a new permanent facility, or set up a temporary pool in a larger arena (Verizon Center, Patriot Center, etc.) like they do for Olympic Trials?

9 years ago

More power to ’em, but I can’t think of many worse places to be outdoors than DC in August: hot ‘n humid! Perhaps most of the venues will be indoors and air-conditioned.

I worked with Ted Leonsis back in the ’80 and ’90s — he certainly has a way of making things happen — so his involvement with this group is a big positive for them.

It’ll be interesting to see what the San Francisco Bay Area group puts together.

NONA
Reply to  Roger von Oech
9 years ago

Are we sure it would be August? June or early September aren’t so bad here in DC.

DC is Hot
Reply to  NONA
9 years ago

DC wasn’t too hot this summer. It still hadn’t had time to thaw out from that hellish winter. Traffic is hell though. I hadn’t been out to LA in a few years until this summer and the traffic seemed a breeze compared with how awful things have become on the roads around the Beltway.

samuel huntington
9 years ago

Ledecky, arguably ONE OF the greatest freestylers in the world?!? when you set 4 WRs in freestyle in one year, I think that makes you THE BEST.

Gina Rhinestone
Reply to  samuel huntington
9 years ago

It has been done before . If a young female mid- distance freestyler is non a roll & can knock out multiple races . Debbie Meyer Tracey Wickham Shane Gould ( + im) Janet Evans.
Ledecky is merely bringing female times close their best historical margins vs the males’ eg in the 400 the differential was 18.5 secs in 1972 & 16.5 in 88 .thorpe took it out to 23.6 .

The men are stuck so it is a great chance for Ledecky to reel them in.

jman
9 years ago

although i wouldn’t count her out…10 years is a long time in the life of a female mid/distance swimmer to continue to swim at the highest levels.

TheTroubleWithX
Reply to  jman
9 years ago

Only 27, though. She could still very conceivably be a solid 100/200 contributor on the free relays, if nothing else, at that point.

About Mitch Bowmile

Mitch Bowmile

Mitch worked for 5-years with SwimSwam news as a web producer focusing on both Canadian and international content. He coached for Toronto Swim Club for four seasons as a senior coach focusing on the development of young swimmers. Mitch is an NCCP level 2 certified coach in Canada and an ASCA Level …

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