Is Philadelphia ready for a 2024 Olympic Bid?

Should Philadelphia, America's Birthplace, be America's choice city to represent our country and host the World during the 2024 Olympic Games?  Many American's may have their opinions about their deserving cities, but as of now Philadelphia and Los Angeles are the two U.S. cities attempting to bid, we may see this list change in the near future. Although the city has lost the bid for the 2016 games, the city has already begun positioning itself to be considered a "world class city", with Philly 2015 efforts to green the city and further ambitions to become America's greenest city by 2035.  The city has adopted a new zoning code to encourage development, a Master Plan for it Waterfront, park infrastructure expansion efforts, and a proposed 2015 construction date for the first phase of high-speed rail between Philadelphia and New York.

Larry Needle, executive director of the Philadelphia Sports Congress, said that if Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, wants to host the Olympics, its earliest realistic chance would be the 2024 Summer Games.  A study by eleven graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania showed that Philadelphia should consider bidding for the 2024 Olympics.  The study said that one of the city's biggest challenges would be convincing the voters who select the host city that Philadelphia is a "World-Class City", something that will require strategic changes in the city's landscape in conjunction with a persuasive marketing strategy.  The process also includes persuading the business community to finance an initial bid that could cost $10 - $15 million.  Two years ago in 2010 an unofficial Facebook page was started in support of the campaign, and has gained some popularity.

Here is a brief timeline of the selection Process:
2012: cities explore possibilities and form Organizing Committees
2015 USOC narrows candidate cities
2016 USOC selects candidate city for IOC consideration
2017 IOC selects host city
2024 Hopeful USA based Olympics

Renderings for proposed 2026 World's Fair 

Philadelphians may want the games, but is the city willing to foot the bill?  It would without a doubt take some heavy private and public fundraising, and much government funding for infrastructure improvements, but anything is possible.  Philadelphia certainly has the space, and is positioned perfectly in the center of the North East Corridor, allowing tourist to explore the region visiting New York and D.C.  The growing mega-region is home to over 49 million residents and 18% of the U.S. population stretching from Boston to Washington.  By the time of the Olympic Games the population is predicted to grow to 58 million.  This is all the more reason enhanced Philadelphia inner city and city to city connections along the east coast are crucial.

Possible 2024 skyline