Rio gets the 2016 Summer Olympics.
 

Obama-backed bid for Chicago to host Olympics finishes last; Rio wins vote for 2016 Summer Games

By Michael Saul
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Updated Friday, October 2nd 2009, 12:55 PM

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Morin/Getty
President Barack Obama presents Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics Friday - before his home city came in dead last in first-round voting.



The Windy City got blown away. Big time
The International Olympic Committee chose Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 summer games Friday after tossing aside Chicago in the first round of voting.

President Obama had delivered Chicago's failed final sales pitch.
At the time of the vote, Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were aboard Air Force One en route to Washington.
While Chicago was bounced in the first round, Tokyo was ousted in Round Two. Rio de Janeiro edged Madrid in the final ballot.
Earlier in the day, Obama delivered a passionate plea, calling his adopted hometown the "most American of American cities."

"I've come here today to urge you to choose Chicago for the same reasons I chose Chicago nearly twenty-five years ago - the reasons I fell in love with the city I still call home," said Obama, who flew to Copenhagen to lead Chicago's final presentation.

Obama, the first U.S. president to attend an IOC host city selection meeting, described Chicago today in glowing terms.
"It's a bustling metropolis with the warmth of a small town where the world already comes together every day to live and work and reach for a dream," he said.

"That's not just the American dream. That's the Olympic spirit. That's why we want them in Chicago."
First Lady Michelle Obama, shining in a gold dress, also delivered an emotional and passionate pitch for the Windy City.
"I was born and raised on Chicago's South Side, not far from where the Games would open and close," she said.

"Ours was a neighborhood of working families -- families with modest homes and strong values.
"Sports were what brought our community together," she said. "They strengthen our ties to one another."
Michelle Obama talked about her late dad who suffered from multiple sclerosis.

She said some of her best memories are sitting on her dad's lap cheering on Olympians.
"I'm asking you to choose Chicago. I'm asking you to choose America," she said.

Along with TV talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, the Obamas undeniably brought mega-star power to the Chicago bid committee's final presentation.
Before winding up the five-hour visit and heading home, Obama met with the Danish prime minister, as well as the country's queen and prince.
Obama told reporters, "I think Chicago could not have made a better presentation. Obviously, now it's up to the IOC members."

On seeing the upbeat videos about Chicago, the president said, "It made me miss home."

Wow, I am very surprised. I wanted Rio to win but I thought they would have Chicago to beat. Dead last, unbelievable.

Chicago would suck for the olympics.

NYC was also a bad choice in that both these cities have an identity to begin with. They do not have space to spare to put in a stadium that would never be used in the same capacity again (I know it will have some use, but still).

The best is always a spot OUTSIDE a city, somewhere close enough to be easily reached, but not one that would put a Stadium across the street from a Gas-n-Go.....

Olympics hosted in the southern hemisphere = 2 (both Australia).

Olympics hosted in South America = 0.

2010 Winter Olympics will be hosted in North America (Canada).

This isn't true. Most cities have an identity, and Rio certainly had. I don't understand what you mean at all. If you mean lesser known cities getting a boost, then I agree.. However, Chicago would have been a good candidate and I don't see why it woud have sucked...I agree there bid left little or no real infrastructure development legacies, which hurt them. Still, they had plenty of open space just outside the city to put event spaces and park land available.

Also, stadiums can be temporary structures, taken down after the event. Also, NYC would put on a wonderful olympics. Its 2 major competitors (alpha world cities) London and Tokyo have done so. NYC would easily find a space to put events if it desired, including its parks which could house temporary structures. NYC could easily rejuvinate large sections of its city with such an event such as Queens and the Bronx. It doesn't need the olympics, but NY could reinvigorate its image with some sprucing up of infrastructure and transit, and the olympics could be a catalyst.

The problem for the US, is that they don't get behind their bids as a country and there doesn't seem to be enough respect for the games here. Obama should not have gone for only 5 hours, what a slap in the face! Also, there is little or no government funding really compared to the other countries which higlights the fact that our country isn't fully behind our bids.

I think the 2020 games will go to Asia(middle east probably) or Canada. I think Africa has a chance for the following games. USA won't bid for years, but I think when it does, NYC should be the candidate. Hit them with our best.

I really think NYC could have the best chance of winning an American bid due to its appeal worldwide..Chicago never had that appeal, that Rio sex appeal that swayed voters with their heartfelt emotional and sentinmental presentation.

The IOC already has an idea, years in advance, of what area of the world they will direct a bid. The only reason they go through this farce of taking bids worldwide is to guarantee alternates in case the front running cities implode.

Look at the list of summer and winter Olympic cities over the last few decades. It's obvious.

The IOC has been taking heat for some time for never hosting an Olympics in South America or Africa.

It was a huge blunder for Obama to go to Copenhagen at all. Since he did, I figured that someone had inside information that Chicago "won" the bid, because you don't want to put a head of state in a position to get slapped down by a corrupt organization like the IOC. And that's exactly what happened.

Rio is a good choice, in that it's far enough north so that the games can be held close to summer in the northern hemisphere.

No matter what the IOC wanted before, Chicago's presentation was bland. Sad to say it reflects the region itself. Really, Chicago should have tied in some real infrastrcutre development with its bid, but it was not to be (transit, etc). Legacy was horrible and they didn't offer enough emotion or spark to compete with the land of sand and samba. Obama himself not the right guy to compete with the emotion of Rio's bid (too cool). Technically, Chicago's bid lacked the "amazing" factor IMO. Rio's legacy is much more impressive, and its location.

^^^^

I didn't see the bid, but I heard it was rather bland and boring. I think Rio, was going to win, no matter how well Chicago, or other cities, put on a show. Simply put, Rio had the sympathy vote. Also, who can vote again Samba, Carnival, and Brazilian women? http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.png

To me, it also seems that nations like Bazil, get behind the idea of the Olympics, as a whole. Rather, in the US, most people really just don't care at all. This can help explain why Chicago, was bounce so early.

This is no big loss. Best part: Rio's time zone is very close to time zones for much of the USA (just one hour later than NYC), so there won't be those lousy time delays for many events.

Plus, let's all wait and see how much Rio goes into the hole after they've forked over all the money needed to build the necessary "improvements" for the Olympics.

Athens will be paying for theirs for decades.

Imagine the nightmare we'd be going through now if NYC had won the 2012 Olympics, with lots of projects and no money to make them happen. Disastrous for the NYC image.

PS: Canada has the Vancouver BC Olympics coming up. They'll be off the list for quite some time.

Far more likely that South Africa will be one of the next in line.

^^^

Great points, as always.

When NYC was knocked out, that was back in 06. At that time, the economy was relatively "good". If anything, Chicago, should be proud to not host these games. I just saw on the news that the games might cost Rio, billions.

Sorry, but NYC should have aspirations of hosting it one day. The world holds the events in high esteem, and NYC could do with a boost in infrastructure/transit development which is often pushed by an olympic bid... i.e, airport rail link anyone? All NYC's major world competitors have now had it (london, paris, tokyo, Beijing, etc). NY could do with an incentive to accelerate Queens and Bronx revitalization too...I always thought that NYC would do a nice games.

^^^

Where would the money come from? For all those improvements, it will cost NYC, billions. What about the cost for security and police. NYC, is all ready a target for terrorisim. I personally don't think the Olympics would work in New York.

Well, situations change, economies change, and NY is not the only city that is a high profile terroist target -- London?

By the time 2024/2028 rolls around (I believe 2020 is probably Asia's), NY might be willing to launch itself into the world's scene yet again. It probably has the best chance of winning in the US (especially since Chicago probably won't bid again for years) given its international profile and the fact that it's never won it. Boston/SFO/Denver may be looking to bid, but NYC is a much more attractive candidate for the world's stage than another bland city (chicago got kicked out due to the blandness of its facilities and overall lackluster support IMO and poor legacy factors - no lasting transport links). London was helped by its Javelin service, and I think new transport links and environmental legacies are a major key to winning a bid today.

Perhaps by then NY and the US as a whole will need or be seeking to rejuvinate its international image and the opportunity will be hard to pass up. You never know with world opinion. Perhaps by then the government might actually feel that aiding the host city's chances with some funding, etc.. for some infrastructure projects may be beneficial to national interests.. who knows.

Also, NY may actually need the Olympics to spur social improvement projects if things can't get off the ground.

There are many sites capable of hosting the required stadiums in NY and NJ. Parkland could be used for temporary stadiums and other venues....NY and its suburbs will have several arenas in the area to use, a tennis center, waterways, beaches, large parks and opportunites to develop brownfields/railyards for the olympic village. By then the second avenue subway may be completed, and the Olympics could spur the development of more rail links (airport perhaps) and it would leave a lasting environmental legacy. There are so many reasons for this city to bid and not to laugh it off.

Queens/Bronx would benefit as would Staten Island. Governers island could be used also. Not to mention how amazing a large Olympics Stadium (temporary structure) would look in either Central, Prospect or Pelham Bay parks.. It might even spur the development of some kind of regional rail line, that moves between the tri-state area, who knows!

One thing is fairly clear: It's delusion to think that any sort of Olympic-sized stadium facility would ever be allowed to be built in either Central or Prospect Park.

Chicago had a lot riding on this. They can forget about getting that Chicago Spire built now. In fact they can forget about getting any big buildings built there now. They can kiss that high speed rail hub goodbye too. CTA improvements? Like that will happen without an Olympics to justify it. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/rolleyes.png No one is gonna want to invest there now. Not private business, not the feds, not even the rest of their state.

Rio is a great choice.

In our new, multipolar world, it was essential to let South America host the Olympics, and Rio is a perfect place given Brazil's rising power.

Africa should get it next. Cape Town would be an ideal venue.

Mujeres Brasileñas.

Yeah, baby!

I'll have some caipirinhas and Cuban cigars while enjoying this view on Copa Cabana beach!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XiU55GIxaY.../rio1989-1.jpg

Chicago lost. Just blame it on Rio.

Good one!