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Pgh. mayor: We'll 'figure out' cost of marathon

PITTSBURGH — Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, public safety officials and Pittsburgh Marathon organizers said Thursday additional security will be in place to keep more than 27,000 runners and twice as many spectators safe in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.

But they offered few details at a news conference about the May 5 race — and even fewer when asked how much the extra security will cost or who will pay: the city, race organizers or some other source.

“We’re going to figure it out,” Ravenstahl said.

“The marathon is not going to go bankrupt this year, the marathon is not going to go bankrupt next year,” Ravenstahl said, responding to comments earlier this week by race director Patrice Matamoros.

Shortly after the April 15 bombings near the finish line in Boston, Pittsburgh marathon organizers said precautions developed since a bomb scare during the 2010 race were likely to keep runners safe now, too. Although officials promised to study the matter, Matamoros initially said organizers budgeted about $160,000 to pay for 350 city police officers plus 200 more security staffers.

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