WHY SHOULD THE 2016 oLYMPICS BE HELD @ CHICAGO? HOW WILL CHICAGO BENEFIT FROM THIS EVENT?

Question

please consider the expenses in which the city will be contributing to the event.

Answer 1

So far, the city has claimed that little if any public finds will be used to pay for the Olympics. Many have doubted this, pointing to the unforseen expenses in Athens and Sydney and the mounting pricetag in London. Critics say that the promise of private investment is a pipe dream, and that Chicago will be left holding the bag when it's all said and done. But they're forgetting that the summer Olympics have been entirely privately funded in the past. When? In 1996 in Atlanta.

The 1996 Olympics were paid for by ticket sales, advertisers, merchandisers, & other private investors. They turned a profit and boosted Atlanta's infrastructure. Athens, on the other hand, used truckloads of public money, and the public has yet to reap major rewards.

What's the difference? Atlanta already had some infrastructure in place, while Athens had to do major overhauling to prepare for a world event. Atlanta also had a large convention and tourism industry already in place. But most importantly, Atlanta was a centrally-located U.S. city. What makes that so important? Attendance. The Olympics are global in theory, but American in practice. The Atlanta games sold 8.3 million tickets, compared to 6.7 million for Sydney and only 3.8 million for Athens.

Chicago, like Atlanta, is an easy destination for American spectators. It shares two other key features with Atlanta: a large convention industry, and status as an air travel hub.

Yes, we need some venues built, and yes, our infrastructure needs some upgrading. But the opportunity to cash in on a huge event is going to lure private investors here to pay for those expenses. This can be a huge boon to residents. For example, the CTA has been chronically underfunded for years, but this week when USOC reps were here, some of the long-needed changes magically appeared! If you live in Chicago and you're sick of dealing with L delays, you should look forward to the Olympics coming to town.

Those that need convincing only have to look back 11 years to see why Chicago has everything to gain from the 2016 Olympics.

Answer 2

I would love to see Chicago showcased in such an international event.

It's funny how some who have pride in our city would not want an Olympic games here. It's a big time event, and it's high time Chicago struts its stuff on the big stage.

Why do we care if not many of the people attending are area residents: it's a world event and we should be as accommodating to them, if not more so, to encourage them and others to come back long after it's over. As for us, we know where the better seats are anyway: in front of our TVs.

I believe, after the recent spate of gross overspending and broken promises, that Chicago and other bidding cities are making a concerted effort to ensure that the negative impacts are minimized.

The temporary aspect of the some of the venues is intentional, so that we don't end up w/ large stadia w/ nothing to do. And the housing created by the Olympic Village is intended for reuse, to help the neighborhoods. Granted, some will be displaced, but there's always some price attached to progress, unless you're content to let the world pass you by.

If you're so concerned about expenses, you never get to see the opportunity that is in front of you. To me, that's lack of vision. We should be concerned about putting the burden of costs on the backs of taxpayers, but I believe Chicago has done a good job so far making sure that's not happening. Bring on the Olympics!

Answer 3

It will do nothing to help the city. First of all, the idea that it will boost tourism is dumb. If the rest of the world doesn't know about Chicago by now, nothing wlll help. Sure, there wil be big crowds DURING the Olympics, but once they're over, it's go back to about the same level it was before. Second, it will make getting around in the city by the regular working folks HELL! Only about 15-20 percent of the everyday population will actually go to the games. The rest of us will have to deal with rerouted street, closed street, ID checks in most major buildings, etc. Only a few of the structures being built will be permanent. The stadium being planned for Jackson Park is not permanent. And there's a possibility that some residents will be displaced. Greece is probably still paying for their Olympics (http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0901/p07s01-woeu.html). Bottom line, it's a headache we don't need. We have enought problems with crime, the CTA, affordable housing, etc...

Answer 4

Well, we were the home of the World's Fair, back in the day.

Why not the Olympics? We have a grand city, visitors would be delighted in seeing the beauty that Chicago has to offer and the revenue we would get from all the souvenirs bought!

Answer 5

First of all, it's the 2016 Summer Olympics. They bid to host it. Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro had submitted bids. Kenya, Cape Town, S. Africa, Baku, Azerbaijan, New Delhi, India, Doha, Qatar, Bangkok, Thailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Rome, Italy, Hamburg and Leipzig of Germany are considering bidding. More considering bidding cities are Libson, Madrid, Istanbul, Montréal, Toronto, Havana, Cuba, Monterrey, Mexico, Los Angeles, Chicago, Oceania, Buenos Aires, and Chile. Very competitive. The U.S. voted Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco as their bids, crashing Philadelphia and Houston out of the game. San Francisco dropped out from the national selection process. I hoped I helped you answer your question.

Answer 6

these events are often helpful in multiple ways...for example:

1. it helps improve the infrastructure of the hosting city
2. it increases tourism to the city
3. general economy benefits as well

trust it helps.

Answer 7

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