HAPPENING TONIGHT: What to expect and what's at stake in the Boston Olympics debate

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- For the first time, members of the Boston 2024 Organizing Committee and No Boston Olympics will face off in a debate co-sponsored by FOX25 and the Boston Globe.

The hour-long Boston Olympics Debate will air live on FOX25 on Thursday, July 23 beginning at 8 p.m. The debate will also stream online on myfoxboston.com, bostonglobe.com, and the FOX25 news app.

There's a lot at stake, as the Boston Globe's Evan Horowitz explains. The USOC has yet to formally endorse Boston's bid, so the pressure is on for Olympic supporters to win public support. The chairman says he'd like to see public support surpass the 50-percent threshold relatively soon, making a win in the debate vital for Boston 2024.

On the Boston 2024 side is committee chairman Steve Pagliuca, and Daniel Doctoroff, a Boston2024 board member. Chris Dempsey, the co-chair of No Boston Olympics, will represent the opposition, along with Andrew Zimbalist, a Smith College economist and author of Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup.

"The Olympic bid is one of the most transformational ideas that Boston has had to consider in a generation and also one of the most controversial," said Boston Globe CEO Mike Sheehan.

FOX25's Maria Stephanos and the Boston Globe's Sacha Pfeiffer will moderate the debate.

Viewers will be encouraged to join in on the conversation by submitting their questions on the FOX25 Facebook page, the Boston Globe's Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #OlympicsDebate.

"We hope this open, public dialogue will give viewers a clear picture about the financial viability of the Boston Olympics host city plan and its potential impact on them," said WFXT Vice President and General Manager Tom Raponi. 

After the debate ends at 9 p.m., reporters from both outlets will host a a post-debate analysis, discussing the debate and fact checking statements made.

Cox Media Group