Archive for the ‘ Chicago 2016 ’ Category
According to a spokesman for Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, the state never filed legislation to grant Chicago its $150 million net if the Olympics were to come to Chicago in 2016. Peter Sandusky, spokesman for Chicago 2016 said while the funds are needed to make the bid stronger, the state has until the February 2009 deadline. The [ READ MORE ]
Chicago 2016 committee officials revealed yesterday how much they think the 2016 Olympics would cost if the Games came to Chicago: $2 billion. Where did they get that figure? Add $900 million in venue construction, spread across five venues, and $1.1 billion for an Olympic Village to be built near McCormick Place. What do I think of [ READ MORE ]
The Associated Press reported that Prague may withdraw its bid for the 2016 Olympics unless it gets money from the Czech government. Tomas Petera, head of Prague 2016 said, “quite frankly we are pressed for time”. According to estimates, the Prague bid needs about $6.7 billion to compete. Petera said, “without it our chances equal zero. [ READ MORE ]
You heard it here. Well, maybe not first, but second or third, hopefully. The Chicago Tribune’s Phil Hersh reported today the International Olympic Committee won’t give Rio de Janeiro a boost because the city is hosting the 2014 World Cup. Interesting, but Hersh also reported several British betting sites are putting as high as 1.7-1 odds on [ READ MORE ]
According to a story in today’s Chicago Tribune, Rev. Al Sharpton seems to be taking his war on Chicago’s police brutality to an international level. Sharpton is demanding the city show evidence of “rampant police brutality,” and if it doesn’t, he says he’ll lobby the International Olympic Committee to not pick Chicago as the host city [ READ MORE ]
In order for the 2016 Olympics to be worthwhile, they have to have a lasting legacy upon the city, and not just by becoming another star on the city’s flag. Trick is, how does this happen without breaking the bank entirely? This was one of the topics in Tessa Jowell speech to the city’s Metropolitan Planning [ READ MORE ]
Here’s a Reuters story that appeared in the Guardian Unlimited last Friday about Madrid’s bid for the 2016 Olympics. If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed![ READ MORE ]
Here’s an interesting piece in today’s Chicago Tribune about how the Baku bid for the 2016 Olympics may hinge on the money it can squeeze out of Azeri oil. Evidently, the nation’s National Olympic Committee doesn’t have anything left for its Web site. Take a look for yourself. If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe [ READ MORE ]
Check out this piece by Chicago Reader reporter Ben Joravsky about Mike Payne, whose “Gray Line” proposal for the CTA actually doesn’t seem like a bad idea. (Scroll down the page to see the story, titled “Man With a Plan.” Payne, an unemployed typewriter repairman, proposes running the Gray Line from the Loop, down near [ READ MORE ]
Here’s a positive editorial from yesterday’s Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel , in which the editors essentially say the Chicago 2016 bid represents Midwest values. (Maybe Milwaukee can see some tourism bucks from the games, if they come here.) Anyway, it’s not long, but it’s worth reading. If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed![ READ MORE ]