Merkel regrets Hamburg's rejection of 2024 Olympic bid

BERLIN (AP) A spokeswoman for Angela Merkel says the German chancellor regrets the decision by Hamburg residents to reject the city's bid for the 2024 Olympics.

Officials announced Sunday that bid opponents won with 51.6 percent of the vote, with 48.4 percent in favor.

Government spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz says Merkel ''took note of the results of the vote in Hamburg, and the chancellor finds this decision regrettable but of course she respects the will of the people.''

Wirtz told reporters in Berlin on Monday that ''that's why referendums are held: to find out what the population wants, and obviously Hamburgers don't want the Olympics.''