People in Chicago Want Rio to Get 2016 Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics will be awarded in the next week to either Chicago or to Rio de Janiero, Brazil. I found it interesting that most people in Chicago want Rio to get the Olympics. Why would they want the Olympics to go elsewhere? Let’s look at this.
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My main source for this article is hillbuzz.org. It is a blog from some young men in Chicago who love Hillary Clinton and cannot stand Barack Obama, whom they sarcastically call Dr. Utopia. The Summer Olympics are considered to be a big coup for a city and a country to get. The Olympics, Summer and Winter, have been in the United States many times in the modern era which began in 1896. With all of the time it takes to get everything ready, the International Olympic Committee awards the Olympics to a city seven years before they happen. The IOC is scheduled to make the award announcement at the end of this week in Copenhagen, Denmark. President Barack Obama stated that he would fly to Copenhagen at the end of the week to lobby the IOC to award the Games to his country and adopted hometown in a year where he hopes to complete his second term.
After a long elimination process, the IOC is down to two cities, Barack Obama’s Chicago and Rio de Janiero, Brazil. There are interesting competing interests, good and bad points between the two cities which is going to make this a close call for the IOC.
It appeared until last month or so that Chicago was going to win the games by default. There were two severe problems with Rio. First is their out of control crime issue, especially with crimes against tourists. The other severe issue is that the Olympic village which would house the athletes during the Games would be further away from the events than the athletes would prefer. However, Rio is dealing with these issues and now makes a compelling case. That shifts the focus to Chicago. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley of course is pushing the Olympics so he can get re-elected twice more.
I also found other information for this article on nogameschicago.com. Chicago has a severe money problem as a result of corruption, incompetence and the world-wide recession. The City of Chicago currently has a $500 million budget gap. Chicago has already spent a bunch of money in their push to get the Games. If the city is awarded the Games, the expenses likely will get out of hand for the City and its taxpayers. The City Council of Chicago is sure to guarantee the near certain deficit that the Olympics will cause the city taxpayers. Vancouver, the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, is already set to be $6 billion over budget. The 2012 Summer Olympics, hosted by London, is already four times over projected budget to the tune of approximately $20 billion. Who is to say that the figure will not be as bad or worse with Chicago? It is interesting that a Poll in the Chicago Tribune has 57% of the people polled in Chicago oppose having the Olympics in their backyard, according to hillbuzz.org.
I do not render an opinion myself either way that Chicago or Rio should get the games. I just find it very interesting that people in Chicago, people that I would think would be happy to get the games, are against it. I think the IOC should take that into consideration this week when they award the games.
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Good article. I thought Tokyo was still in the running. Would have been nice in Tokyo.
Chicago? No, no, no!
Rio? Si, si, si!
Madrid, Spain and Tokyo, Japan are the other two finalists. Just as Pat Buchanan was a finalist in the 2000 presidential campaign. It will be Rio or Chicago.