San Francisco Reportedly Will Submit Bid for 2024 Olympic Games

The United States hasn't hosted the Summer Olympics since Atlanta did so in 1996, but San Francisco is hoping to end that drought come 2024.

According to John Cote of SFGate.com, the Californian city will officially submit a bid to hold the 2024 Summer Games. San Francisco Giants President and CEO Larry Baer is heading the bid, and he intends to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

"We have a lot of reverence for the Olympics ... but there may be some ways to modernize the Games or do it a little differently," Baer said.

Cote is also reporting that San Francisco will be in direct competition with Los Angeles, Boston and Washington D.C. to earn the backing of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The estimated cost to host the Olympics is $4.5 billion, which is certainly hefty, although venture capitalist Steve Strandberg believes it would go a long way toward improving and strengthening the area, according to Cote.

"The Olympic Games could give us the economic and civic will to do some things that maybe we should have done a while ago in terms of reconnecting parts of our city," Strandberg said.

Even if San Francisco does ultimately win the American bid, it figures to face some stiff competition. Germany has already announced its intention to get involved, per Fox Sports News:

In addition to that, Paris could potentially throw its hat in the ring, according to AP Sports:

It would seem as though the United States is long past due when it comes to hosting the Olympics, but the International Olympic Committee surely won't be willing to simply hand San Francisco The Games.

With that said, San Francisco is a modern and diverse city that promises to put together a very intriguing bid.

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