August 27 - A bid from Washington DC for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics appears to be on the horizon following the formation of a committee to handle the process.
The United States capital was one of 35 cities to receive a letter from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) earlier this year asking them to come forward if they were interested in submitting a bid for the showpiece event.
"We are the safest and most secure city in the world," DC 2024 President Bob Sweeney said.
"The largest expense of any Olympic Games is security, and the fact that we've got it pretty built in to our everyday life here in Washington, we would leverage that asset tremendously to put on this high-profile event."
DC 2024 believes it can raise between $3 million (£1.9 million/€2.2 million) and $5 million (£3.2 million/€3.7 million) to support the bid by the end of 2014, while Sweeney expects the hosting the Games would cost anything from $3.5 billion (£2.3 billion/€2.6 billion) to $6 billion (£3.9 billion/€4.5 billion) as most of the infrastructure is already in place.
Washington DC previously proposed a bid for the 2012 Summer Games but the USOC chose to go with New York, whose bid was submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and ultimately finished fourth behind the winner London.
If awarded to America, the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics would be the first Summer Games in the nation since Atlanta 1996 If awarded to America, the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics would be the first Summer Games in the nation since Atlanta 1996
Philadelphia, Seattle, Los Angeles and a joint bid from San Diego together with Mexican city Tijuana are among the other candidates to have so far come forward with an interest in the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.
The USOC plan to create a shortlist of two or three cities by this December ahead of the IOC's final selection in 2017.
Having recently been awarded hosting rights for the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) general assembly in 2015 and with a possible bid for the 2017 Fencing World Championships on the cards, Sweeney believes Washington DC is a good bet for the USOC.
"They need to make sure there is a strong horse to ride," Sweeney said.
"And we certainly intend to be that."
If awarded to America, the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics would be the first Summer Games in the nation since Atlanta 1996 and the first Games since Salt Lake City held the Winter Olympics in 2002.
Paris, Berlin, Doha, Durban, Nairobi, Rome and Toronto are also reportedly considering bidding for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.