City referendum on Budapest 2024 Olympic bid abandoned

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - Petitioners say they have abandoned an attempt to hold a citywide referendum on Budapest's bid to host the 2024 Olympics.

Investigative journalist Katalin Erdelyi says late notice from authorities left little time to gather the 140,000 signatures needed to force a vote.

She adds, however, that a court decision on their appeal seeking approval for a nationwide vote on the issue is expected by mid-January.

Critics say the Olympics are too expensive, with a large risk of corruption. A feasibility study estimated costs at 1.074 trillion forints ($3.6 billion), with net costs after the sale of venues and other revenues calculated at 774 billion forints ($2.6 billion).

Los Angeles and Paris are the other bidders. The International Olympic Committee will select the host city in September 2017.