Springfield Congressman Richard Neal says he’d consider voting against federal money for the 2024 Olympics in Boston if the rest of the state is not included in infrastructure improvements sparked by the games. He tells WGBH he’s concerned the Olympics may affect the state the way another Boston-centric project did.
“I think that it would be irresponsible for elected officials in central and western Massachusetts to embrace another Big Dig at the expense of very little to show for it across the rest of the state,” Neal says.
Should Boston win the bid for the Olympics, it’s expected about one billion dollars would be needed from the federal government for security. As far as what projects he’d like to see completed, Neal continues to support expanded commuter rail service between Springfield and Boston.
Correction: The original headline on this story said Congressman Neal “would” vote against federal funds if western and central Massachusetts don’t get their share of infrastructure improvements. It should have said Neal would consider voting against the funds.