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State Officials Consider Bid For 2024 Olympic Games In Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Lawmakers on Beacon Hill asked tough questions Monday about a potential 2024 Boston Olympics.

But none of the questions were tougher than those about security, an issue more pressing than ever in the wake of the marathon bombings. 

"We can certainly say we're not looking for Swiss Army knives anymore coming into venues," Stephen Mirabile said.

Mirabile's security firm has worked on Olympic Games dating back to the Atlanta Summer Games in 1996.

And what happened there, in an unsecured area designed for the general public to share in the buzz of the games, has colored Olympic security planning ever since.

"It's important to determine the atmosphere that you want to have," Mirabile said. "The atmosphere of the Boston Marathon is everybody come out and enjoy the day."

"Do we put a big fence line around the whole state of Massachusetts and make them go through metal detectors? How far do you go?" he asked. "And I think that the law enforcement and intelligence understanding of what level is required for that event is important."

Mirabile, a state resident, says Boston's security planning and reaction to the attack are admired around the world. He says he's confident major events here in the future, including a potential Olympics, will be as safe as possible.

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