Mayor Gives Approval For Chicago To Pursue 2016 Olympics

Daley Gives Go Ahead For Chicago To Begin 2016 Olympic Pursuit

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley “has given the go-ahead to officials both inside his administration and business leaders on the outside to pursue a serious” bid for the city to host the 2016 Games, according to city sources cited by Fran Spielman of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Daley previously ruled out a bid, “arguing that the millions of dollars in upfront costs required to make a serious pitch was not worth the longshot chance” of winning. However, that was before the $475M Millennium Park was completed and before local business leaders “agreed to front the city’s bidding costs.” Other elements “strengthening Chicago’s position are improvements to U.S. Cellular Field, the planned expansion of Wrigley Field and yet another expansion of McCormick Place.” City Hall sources “insisted that the bid has been in the works behind the scenes for months and it is not a diversion from the corruption scandals that have beset” Daley (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/27).

BACK AT IT: On Long Island, John Jeansonne reports Steve Feuerstein, a sports consultant who hosts a talk-radio show on WSNR-AM, formed N.Y. Citizens for the 2016 Olympic Games about a month ago, before the city was eliminated as host of the 2012 Olympics. Feuerstein said his “contact with some members of NYC2012, and with others knowledgeable in Olympic matters, convinced him that [N.Y.] had a better chance for 2016 than it did for 2012” (NEWSDAY, 7/27).