If there is anyone on this planet who could figure out to game the corrupt Olympic Committee, it is the even more corrupt Rich Daley administration. He's the thing I keep coming back to when it comes to Chicago chances to win the bid.

It's a Daley project. He's running it. He's the front man. He pulls the strings and greases the skids.

 

This is just manifestly false. The City of Chicago is not running the Olympics. As badly as Daley wants them to come to Chicago, and as much influence as he has, that is not the same as being in charge. Go look into how the Olympics work and get back to us.

 

To think Daley and his cronies will be left out of the 2016 process is, well... I wont be mean and say what i think.

 

Who said he'd be left out of the process?

 

 

You seem to think this is all or none - its Daley's Olympics (which if course is false), and anyone else who disagrees is saying Daley has nothing to do with it (also clearly false). Reality is that Daley has a lot of influence, but its still not a City project.

 

What, you don't trust Mayor Daley?

 

His deep involvement in this is the one shining positive light I'll see in this if Chicago loses on the bid, even though I want Chicago to win the bid.

Eh, I don't trust him or the council, but it doesn't much matter anyway. The Olympics can absorb enormouse losses before even getting to that guarantee. They have a $250M private cushion, then there is a $1B insurance policy, THEN the council guarantee kicks in. And since the Olympics typically break even, give or take, I'm just not that worried about it. Not to mention that the real value in this is what we get afterwards, and seperately, from the event itself, which is all worth substantial money.

 

Not to mention that the real value in this is what we get afterwards

What exactly is that?

What exactly is that?

Multiple layers...

 

For one thing, raising the world profile of the city will result in significant increases in tourist dollars coming to the city (aside from just during the event itself).

 

For another thing, the thought is that there will be more federal and state support for city infrastructure projects to help make sure the city is ready. There is of course a question of how much of this will occur, but its unlikely that there won't be some pretty major dollars coming in to make sure the city works properly. The fact that Obama is the President is also helpful here of course.

 

Yet another thing, similar to what happened with the World's Fair over a century ago, many of the structures and sites built for the Olympics will be there for the city to use afterwards - for low income housing for example (athlete dorms), or whatever. So that infrastructure is a definite, not a maybe.

 

One more aspect is, no matter how you feel about Daley, remember he really is the ultimate pothole mayor. If you've lived or spent a lot of time in other cities, you grow to appreciate the little things the city does well, to make it seem more habitable - everything from graffiti patrols to bike lanes, that don't ALWAYS work, but that are far better than what you see elsewhere. So what do you think will happen as we approach the Olympics? I guarantee the city will find resources to get the city looking great in the years building up to the event.

 

Those are some of the big ones, but I am sure there are others as well. Those are all positives for the city.

 

They lost me at "the current public transit system is capable of accommodating the Olympics".

They lost me at "the current public transit system is capable of accommodating the Olympics".

The layout? I think it definitely is capable.

just out of curiosity, how would getting the olympics effect the White Sox and Cubs? would they have to take extended road trips? Play a "home series" in a neutral park?

The layout? I think it definitely is capable.

You must not ride on public transit here. They were saying they'd add shuttle buses. Shuttle buses?! Rush hour is regularly a clusterf***. Add a million plus to the current system and you get complete failure.

You must not ride on public transit here. They were saying they'd add shuttle buses. Shuttle buses?! Rush hour is regularly a clusterf***. Add a million plus to the current system and you get complete failure.

Add a single drop of rain and the world stage will see just how incompetent the CTA is.

 

Can't

Travel

Anywhere

Edited September 10, 200916 yr by The Critic

Most likely major thoroughfares could be restricted to only public transportation, which would make the games very accessible by bus.

 

And I'm guessing a new CTA rail line will be put in along the current Metra electric line, which will help for Jackson Park activities.

You must not ride on public transit here. They were saying they'd add shuttle buses. Shuttle buses?! Rush hour is regularly a clusterf***. Add a million plus to the current system and you get complete failure.

 

That is kinda the point of winning the Olympic bid. They HAVE to fix these problems if they win it, or they risk the probability of Chicago looking like a craphole to the rest of the world. We get a month worth of tourist headaches in exchange for fixing some major transportation problems. I'll take it.

That is kinda the point of winning the Olympic bid. They HAVE to fix these problems if they win it, or they risk the probability of Chicago looking like a craphole to the rest of the world. We get a month worth of tourist headaches in exchange for fixing some major transportation problems. I'll take it.

That's my beef though. Their plan does not call for fixing public transit. This would be a golden opportunity to overhaul a decrepit infrastructure.

That's my beef though. Their plan does not call for fixing public transit. This would be a golden opportunity to overhaul a decrepit infrastructure.

 

You know the way things work... They aren't going to throw a few billion on top of it so that costs are kept down up front. That comes later when Daley corners the state and feds into making sure that especially rapid transit gets fixed, otherwise the city, state, and country look third world. It will be his usual blackmail of a situation and blabbering incoherent speech, filled with "What do you want from me?"'s all over the place.

Multiple layers...

 

For one thing, raising the world profile of the city will result in significant increases in tourist dollars coming to the city (aside from just during the event itself).

 

I can't imagine that'd have a lasting effect. Are people from all over the world clamoring to visit Atlanta and Salt Lake?

 

 

I can't imagine that'd have a lasting effect. Are people from all over the world clamoring to visit Atlanta and Salt Lake?

 

Atlanta is still reaping the benefits of the infrastructure overhaul to this day. The work done on the interstate system alone was worth it.

Atlanta is still reaping the benefits of the infrastructure overhaul to this day. The work done on the interstate system alone was worth it.

Yea but we already get interstate work every year, although for probably different reasons.

 

I stopped using the CTA because its about as poorly managed as anything ever could possibly be... but the lines go from places where I am to places I want to be.

Edited September 10, 200916 yr by DukeNukeEm

I can't imagine that'd have a lasting effect. Are people from all over the world clamoring to visit Atlanta and Salt Lake?

 

Atlanta I can say yes. That place was a dump before the Olympics. I rather go to Milwaukee than Atlanta pre-1996.

I gotta say, I'm not really a huge fan of the Olympics coming here.

 

But at the same time, it would be pretty cool, so I guess I'm 50/50 on it.

 

If the Olympics does come here, I'm gonna try and find some way to make money outta this...

Right now, every report seems to suggest that there's no obvious favorite and it will likely come down to a couple of votes. Those votes may well hinge on whether or not the nation's most well known Chicago White Sox fan makes a trip to Copenhagen to lobby on behalf of his country, as previous successful leaders (i.e. Tony Blair) did.

Right now, every report seems to suggest that there's no obvious favorite and it will likely come down to a couple of votes. Those votes may well hinge on whether or not the nation's most well known Chicago White Sox fan makes a trip to Copenhagen to lobby on behalf of his country, as previous successful leaders (i.e. Tony Blair) did.

I'm betting he goes, and I think you are right, Obama may be the difference maker here between Chicago and Rio.

 

Right now, every report seems to suggest that there's no obvious favorite and it will likely come down to a couple of votes. Those votes may well hinge on whether or not the nation's most well known Chicago White Sox fan makes a trip to Copenhagen to lobby on behalf of his country, as previous successful leaders (i.e. Tony Blair) did.

 

He had better. Heck I am sure he owes a few favors around these parts.

He had better. Heck I am sure he owes a few favors around these parts.

Yeah, looking at the Trib this morning discussing this, all three of the other countries are sending their Prez/PM and others, so if the US doesn't, that will end up looking pretty bad.

 

I'm betting he goes, and I think you are right, Obama may be the difference maker here between Chicago and Rio.

ohhh man do i wish McCain had won. lol