US Olympic Committee officials are unconcerned about lukewarm public support for Boston's 2024 Summer Games bid.
USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun said he was sure local support would grow as details of the bid were refined and organisers convinced Bostonians the Games would be fiscally responsible.
"I have 100 per cent confidence that the people of Boston 2024 will be able to do that," Blackmun said.
Asked about a February poll by a Boston radio station, which indicated 44 per cent of Boston-area residents supporting a bid - down from 51 per cent in January - Blackmun said there was plenty of time to build support before the International Olympic Committee selected a host in 2017.
"Do we wish that the approval ratings were higher than 44 per cent? Absolutely, we do," Blackmun said. "But, candidly, it's much more important that those numbers be high two and a half years from now than it is that they be high now.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"We have plenty of time to allow this trajectory to unfold."
Boston was chosen in January as the US candidate to host the 2024 Olympics beating out Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington.
The United States will be chasing its first Summer Olympics since the 1996 centennial edition in Atlanta. Boston's candidacy follows failed bids by New York for the 2012 Olympics, Chicago for 2016 and no entry for 2020 in order to re-evaluate plans.
Competition for the 2024 Games is expected to be fierce. Rome has already announced it will lead an Italian bid while Germany is deciding between Berlin and Hamburg.
Durban in South Africa could press to become the first African host of the Games.
Istanbul - who were runners-up to Tokyo for the 2020 Games - is also considering a new bid. Doha and Baku, the Azerbaijan capital, have also been mentioned as possible candidates.
