Will Chicago Miss Out on the Olympics in 2016?

[TheStatutoryApe]

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.

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

With the preparations for the Olympics in China I heard about Australia apparently hurting and predictions that China may suffer a similar fate.

Apparently the initial income and profit from the games is huge but the resulting after game downturn in the local economy can be devastating especially after the major investment in such a short term economic spike.

Doesn't this definition net every single politician in DC?

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.

He spent a matter of a few hours there from what I hear. And many a president has commented on an apparent increased ability to get work done on Air Force One with the lack of interruption that comes from being in DC.