If Toronto decides to make a bid on the 2024 Olympic Games, Hamilton would be "foolish" not be a part of that bid, says Canada Soccer board member Nick Bontis.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger was much more tepid about Hamilton being a part of a potential Olympic bid from Toronto, and said the city could offer up the stadium that Pan Am built, but, "in terms of raw dollars or putting money on the table, I seriously doubt it at this point."

I think we would be foolish not to be a part of any bid. - Nick Bontis, Canadian Soccer Association executive

The paint has barely dried on Pan Am Games — the West Harbour GO Station, for example, is back under construction —and questions are looming about whether or not Toronto will make a bid, due in September, for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Pouring water on Hamilton's potential involvement on that bid was Eisenberger.

"It's a completely different animal," Eisenberger said. "Olympic bids tend not to be geographic large regional bids, they tend to be municipal, large municipalities."

No money to help

"I would say Toronto might take a serious look at it. If there is a partnership opportunity, based on our new stadium facility, then maybe there's a good reason to have a chat about that," Eisenberger said. "I think the partnership could revolve around the facility we have in terms of the stadium."

He added there was no city money to help the bid along. Hamilton hosted the entire Pan Am soccer tournament. Many games at Olympic tournaments have historically been held outside the main venue site.

Canadian Olympic Committee's President Marcel Aubut, meanwhile, has said he will "absolutely lead and advocate with the whole power of my office that Toronto becomes the host city for 2024 Olympic Games."

Bontis, a McMaster University professor in addition to his executive role with Canada Soccer, said Hamilton should make sure it inserts itself into the conversation of a future games bid.

Taking advantage of stadium

"I think we would be foolish not to be a part of any bid. I think it's very, very important for us, now that we have this brand new stadium, to basically leverage the opportunities to attract as many events as possible," Bontis said. "If we don't become part of Olympic bids or world class invitations for clubs and events and musicians to come here, then we just don't take advantage of an investment that we have."

Bontis said that there are other events such as qualifying games, summer club tours for professional and national teams that Hamilton should be bidding for.

"A lot of the biggest clubs in Europe and South America, they go on summer tours. Putting our stadium as someone on the map of the inventory - you can go and play in Toronto, or you can go hand play in New York, Vancouver -- we have to add Hamilton to that list," Bontis said.