Will Chicago Miss Out on the Olympics in 2016?

[jtbell]

As I write this, it's down to either Rio or Madrid for 2016.

I bet ZapperZ is relieved. Now he won't have to worry about hordes of relatives, friends and PF'ers trying to cadge invitations to stay with him during the games!

 

[Vanadium 50]

It's Rio.

 

[Norman]

One of the big sticking points for something like this in the US:

During the question and answer session that followed Chicago’s presentation, Syed Shahid Ali, an IOC member from Pakistan, asked the Chicago representatives about the difficult entry requirements for many foreign visitors to the United States.

From: http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/02/obama-pushes-for-chicago-as-2016-olympic-host/

I wonder how large of a consideration this was given when they voted?

 

[jobyts]

That's indeed a very powerful question. I would imagine that question would keep coming in the future Olympic meetings too.

 

[mgb_phys]

It's becoming a pain trying to host conferences in the US (and almost as bad in the UK)

Still it does help to control those internet billionaires arriving on their own jets
http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/43

Mark Shuttleworth is the founder of Thwaite (the online security thing used for web pages) and Ubuntu.

 

[waht]

It seems all the rich counties have always hosted the Olympics multiple times. Perhaps for good reasons I don't know, but the lesser countries never get a chance.

 

[Pengwuino]

It seems all the rich counties have always hosted the Olympics multiple times. Perhaps for good reasons I don't know, but the lesser countries never get a chance.

Consider the cost of hosting the Olympics? That's my first guess.

Stumbled upon this article: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/do-olympic-host-cities-ever-win/

 

[mgb_phys]

Consider the cost of hosting the Olympics? That's my first guess.

But the olympics is a money maker bringing great prosperity to the host city (at least according to our city council), it seems unfair that rich countries are the only ones to benefit.

 

[jobyts]

But the olympics is a money maker bringing great prosperity to the host city (at least according to our city council), it seems unfair that rich countries are the only ones to benefit.

The link given by Pengwuino says the city need not make money out of it, may also go into debt. I heard the same argument in NPR too. It is indeed a national pride.

 

[f95toli]

But the olympics is a money maker bringing great prosperity to the host city (at least according to our city council), it seems unfair that rich countries are the only ones to benefit.

It benefits the economy of the city/region as a whole, but that does not necessarily translate into more money for the city authorities and the initial investment is huge.

I and everyone else who lives in London have been paying an extra "Olympic tax" for the past few years but this will still only cover a small part of the cost of the 2012 Olympics.

Most cities use the Olympics as an excuse/opportunity to re-develop part of the city so at least some of the money is going into infrastructure etc that will benefit the city for a long time.

 

[Sorry!]

The link given by Pengwuino says the city need not make money out of it, may also go into debt. I heard the same argument in NPR too. It is indeed a national pride.

Well not only that but the PEOPLE of the area would want the Olympics to come because that means they get top of the line facilities that are being built... they aren't just going to disappear after the olympics. As well as upgraded infrastructure to the city... look at Vancouver.

 

[Pengwuino]

Well not only that but the PEOPLE of the area would want the Olympics to come because that means they get top of the line facilities that are being built... they aren't just going to disappear after the olympics. As well as upgraded infrastructure to the city... look at Vancouver.

This is arguable. Some people think it a nightmare when the Olympics comes to town because there are obvious problems when probably hundreds of thousands if not millions of people converge onto your city for one event. Those people probably don't care about the olympics, however. Also, note that the article mentions how those top of the line facilities must still be paid for along with upgraded infrastructure. You can upgrade facilities and infrastructure without having the olympics come to town. In the case of sports facilities, it's almost always meant to be greatly profitable when a new sports complex of such magnitude comes into existence in a city.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Apparently all the celebrating in Rio led to looting and rioting that left the city unfit to host the olympics.

 

[mgb_phys]

Well not only that but the PEOPLE of the area would want the Olympics to come because that means they get top of the line facilities that are being built... they aren't just going to disappear after the olympics.

Both Athens and Sydney are spending millions maintaining empty facilities. London is still spending millions on the millenium dome that has been empty since 2000, so that will at least get some use.

As well as upgraded infrastructure to the city... look at Vancouver.

That's a bit controversial here. They built a light rail to the airport and canceled the one linking the suburbs to downtown that they have been promising for 20years.They have upgraded the highway at great expense to the privately owned ski resort that is hosting the olympics.

From the article - "The Utah Skier Survey found that nearly 50 percent of nonresidents would stay away from Utah in 2002 due to the expectation of more crowds and higher prices."
That's certainly happening in Vancouver. The local resorts that are closed for one month during the olympics are offering half price passes for next year and aren't selling them - normally season passes sell out in a month. I haven't bought my usual pass for the mountain that isn't closed because the price has gone up 50% and it will be busy.
Most people here in Vancouver are planning to go to Washington to ski.

 

[Evo]

I was reading recently about financial problems with the upkeep of China's "birdnest" stadium. They just don't have events to book it. It's already falling into disrepair.

Here's a link that discusses some issues.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Beijing+Olympic+venues+host+white+elephant-a01611957209

Not good predictions for the London event either.

http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSTRE56033U20090701

 

[jobyts]

"Sour Grapes"

 

[Pyrrhus]

Bienvenidos a Sudamerica, mis amigos anglosajones

 

[WhoWee]

"Sour Grapes"

Obama just couldn't close the deal.

 

[Moonbear]

I really couldn't see Chicago as an Olympic venue anyway. It's already too overcrowded and too much traffic, airports that always have delayed flights because everything is overbooked, etc. None of it indicates they could handle the added crowds of an Olympic event.

Though, one thing that seems odd about having Rio as the front-runner is that it'll be winter there at the time of the summer Olympics. Or will they hold it later in the year, when it's actually summer there?

I also read somewhere today that the IOC bought an insurance policy this year that would cover the cost of overruns on the budget to protect the host city. Now I want to know what insurance company that is so I don't hold stock in it when they are about to pay out a huge amount for the cost of an Olympic venue! I'm surprised anyone would even provide such a policy when it's almost a sure thing that they'll be paying out that money.

 

[WhoWee]

I also read somewhere today that the IOC bought an insurance policy this year that would cover the cost of overruns on the budget to protect the host city. Now I want to know what insurance company that is so I don't hold stock in it when they are about to pay out a huge amount for the cost of an Olympic venue! I'm surprised anyone would even provide such a policy when it's almost a sure thing that they'll be paying out that money.

Is this what you were thinking about?

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2004/08/10/44805.htm

"For the first time, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken out cancellation insurance. The $170 million policy covers the risk of the Athens Games being called off because of war, terrorism, earthquakes or flooding. According to IOC president Jacques Rogge, the policy also covers the bulk of the 28 international sports federations on the Olympic program and the 202 national Olympic committees sending teams to the games."

 

[lisab]

I really couldn't see Chicago as an Olympic venue anyway. It's already too overcrowded and too much traffic, airports that always have delayed flights because everything is overbooked, etc. None of it indicates they could handle the added crowds of an Olympic event.

Yeah, I was thinking the same...I was rooting for Brazil.

 

[Moonbear]

Is this what you were thinking about?

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2004/08/10/44805.htm

"For the first time, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken out cancellation insurance. The $170 million policy covers the risk of the Athens Games being called off because of war, terrorism, earthquakes or flooding. According to IOC president Jacques Rogge, the policy also covers the bulk of the 28 international sports federations on the Olympic program and the 202 national Olympic committees sending teams to the games."

Your version explains it differently, but is probably more accurate, given the source. I think I'd trust something catering to the insurance industry over the popular press on a matter of insurance policies. Thanks.

 

[Redbelly98]

Though, one thing that seems odd about having Rio as the front-runner is that it'll be winter there at the time of the summer Olympics. Or will they hold it later in the year, when it's actually summer there?

Sydney had it at around the usual time (late September), so I wouldn't expect it to be different for Rio. Besides, Rio is at the edge of the tropics (latitude 22 or 23), so it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[mgb_phys]

Sydney had it at around the usual time (late September), so I wouldn't expect it to be different for Rio. Besides, Rio is at the edge of the tropics (latitude 22 or 23), so it shouldn't be too bad.

Average temps high 27C (81) low 22C (71) for 'winter' - sounds perfect

 

[chemisttree]

The text of Obama's speech to the IOC...

President Rogge, ladies and gentlemen of the International Olympic Committee:

I come here today as a passionate supporter of the Olympic and Paralympic Games; as a strong believer in the movement they represent; and as a proud Chicagoan. But above all, I come as a faithful representative of the American people, and we look forward to welcoming the world to the shores of Lake Michigan and the heartland of our nation in 2016.

To host athletes and visitors from every corner of the globe is a high honor and a great responsibility. And America is ready and eager to assume that sacred trust. We’re a nation that has always opened its arms to the citizens of the world — including my own father from the African continent — people who have sought something better; who have dreamed of something bigger.

I know you face a difficult choice among several great cities and nations with impressive bids of their own. So I’ve come here today to urge you to choose Chicago for the same reason I chose Chicago nearly 25 years ago — the reason I fell in love with the city I still call home. And it’s not just because it’s where I met the woman you just heard from — although after getting to know her this week, I know you’ll all agree that she’s a pretty big selling point for the city.

You see, growing up, my family moved around a lot. I was born in Hawaii. I lived in Indonesia for a time. I never really had roots in anyone place or culture or ethnic group. And then I came to Chicago. And on those Chicago streets, I worked alongside men and women who were black and white; Latino and Asian; people of every class and nationality and religion. I came to discover that Chicago is that most American of American cities, but one where citizens from more than 130 nations inhabit a rich tapestry of distinctive neighborhoods.

Each one of those neighborhoods — from Greektown to the Ukrainian Village; from Devon to Pilsen to Washington Park — has its own unique character, its own unique history, its songs, its language. But each is also part of our city — one city — a city where I finally found a home.

Chicago is a place where we strive to celebrate what makes us different just as we celebrate what we have in common. It’s a place where our unity is on colorful display at so many festivals and parades, and especially sporting events, where perfect strangers become fast friends just because they’re wearing the same jersey. It’s a city that works — from its first World’s Fair more than a century ago to the World Cup we hosted in the nineties, we know how to put on big events. And scores of visitors and spectators will tell you that we do it well.

Chicago is a city where the practical and the inspirational exist in harmony; where visionaries who made no small plans rebuilt after a great fire and taught the world to reach new heights. It’s a bustling metropolis with the warmth of a small town; where the world already comes together every day to live and work and reach for a dream — a dream that no matter who we are, where we come from; no matter what we look like or what hand life has dealt us; with hard work, and discipline, and dedication, we can make it if we try.

That’s not just the American Dream. That is the Olympic spirit. It’s the essence of the Olympic spirit. That’s why we see so much of ourselves in these Games. That’s why we want them in Chicago. That’s why we want them in America.

We stand at a moment in history when the fate of each nation is inextricably linked to the fate of all nations — a time of common challenges that require common effort. And I ran for President because I believed deeply that at this defining moment, the United States of America has a responsibility to help in that effort, to forge new partnerships with the nations and the peoples of the world.

No one expects the Games to solve all our collective challenges. But what we do believe — what each and every one of you believe and what all of the Chicago delegation believes — is that in a world where we’ve all too often witnessed the darker aspects of our humanity, peaceful competition between nations represents what’s best about our humanity. It brings us together, if only for a few weeks, face to face. It helps us understand one another just a little bit better. It reminds us that no matter how or where we differ, we all seek our own measure of happiness, and fulfillment, and pride in what we do. That’s a very powerful starting point for progress.

Nearly one year ago, on a clear November night, people from every corner of the world gathered in the city of Chicago or in front of their televisions to watch the results of the U.S. Presidential election. Their interest wasn’t about me as an individual. Rather, it was rooted in the belief that America’s experiment in democracy still speaks to a set of universal aspirations and ideals. Their interest sprung from the hope that in this ever-shrinking world, our diversity could be a source of strength, a cause for celebration; and that with sustained work and determination, we could learn to live and prosper together during the fleeting moment we share on this Earth.

Now, that work is far from over, but it has begun in earnest. And while we do not know what the next few years will bring, there is nothing I would like more than to step just a few blocks from my family’s home, with Michelle and our two girls, and welcome the world back into our neighborhood.

At the beginning of this new century, the nation that has been shaped by people from around the world wants a chance to inspire it once more; to ignite the spirit of possibility at the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic movement in a new generation; to offer a stage worthy of the extraordinary talent and dynamism offered by nations joined together — to host games that unite us in noble competition and shared celebration of our limitless potential as a people.

And so I urge you to choose Chicago. I urge you to choose America. And if you do, if we walk this path together, then I promise you this: The city of Chicago and the United States of America will make the world proud. Thank you so much.

Obama just can't stop talking about himself. I thought it was a BIT over the top referring to election night! Sure, Obama! It's not about YOU at all (except we can read for ourselves).

The real mystery here is that anyone actually thought this would persuade any of the voting IOC members...

 

[Werg22]

If it's Rio, Brazil would have to host the two largest international sports events within 2 years. Can they really pull that off?

 

[Argentum Vulpes]

Also there is a bigger issue, why is the president of the US wasting time to go give a speech in front of the IOC? There are much more pressing matters for his time back here in the US. We are still in two wars, the entire heath care debate, a enormous national debt, cap and trade, and a crumbling economy. Unless he solved all of these problems before he left so has nothing better to do with his time, and tax money.

 

[mgb_phys]

Also there is a bigger issue, why is the president of the US wasting time to go give a speech in front of the IOC?

It's a win-win for politicians.
If they don't get it then he was at least doing his best, "batting for the home team" etc
If they did get it then it's all down to him - as long as he distances himself from the inevitable overspend ;-)

 

[Astronuc]

The text of Obama's speech to the IOC...

Obama just can't stop talking about himself. I thought it was a BIT over the top referring to election night! Sure, Obama! It's not about YOU at all (except we can read for ourselves).

The real mystery here is that anyone actually thought this would persuade any of the voting IOC members...

Most of the text is NOT about Obama. He's making a personal appeal on behalf of Chicago, and he put himself on the line.

However, Rio de Janeiro made a compelling case particularly with the point that the Olympics have not been hosted in South America. It will be interesting to see how Brasil and Rio handle the games.

 

[WhoWee]

Most of the text is NOT about Obama. He's making a personal appeal on behalf of Chicago, and he put himself on the line.

However, Rio de Janeiro made a compelling case particularly with the point that the Olympics have not been hosted in South America. It will be interesting to see how Brasil and Rio handle the games.

He gave it his best shot (and choked - yes it's a cheap shot).

Personally, I really like Chicago and definitely would have attended. I do have to wonder if problem wasn't the plan itself.

The downtown area (and along the lake front) could certainly handle the activities. However, the dense population and proximity to downtown landmarks might have been a concern regarding terrorism.