Rings Of Fire: Chicago Prepares For USOC Bid Committee Visit

The USOC Evaluation Commission today begins its two-day visit with the Chicago 2016 bid committee, which “already has persuaded the USOC that the financing ... looks viable” for a proposed $366M Olympic stadium and a $1.1B Olympic village, according to Philip Hersh of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Evaluation Commission Chair and IOC member Bob Ctvrtlik said, “We have people who have vetted the (Chicago) stadium numbers, and they are realistic for what they are proposing. We will continue to vet those numbers with another consulting group.” When asked if Chicago’s stadium proposal was enough to take to the IOC, Ctvrtlik said, “Oh, yes.” Hersh writes the “apartment-style Olympic village could be a plus for Chicago as compared with the planned [L.A.] village, which would use mainly existing UCLA dormitories” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/6). Also in Chicago, Andrew Herrmann notes Chicago 2016 officials claim their bid would provide less drive time, a workable new stadium, legacy projects for the city, accessible transportation and more “local excitement” when compared to L.A. (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/6).

THRIFTY BUILDING: NBCSPORTS.com’s Alan Abrahamson reported Turner Construction Co. would submit a bid to build the Olympic stadium for $366M, “a comparative bargain” considering other Olympic-related construction budgets. A “key goal” of IOC President Jacques Rogge is to reduce “the spiraling costs associated with the Summer Games.” Univ. of Lausanne professor Jean-Loup Chappelet, an expert on the technical matters of an Olympic bid, said of the stadium, which would seat 80,000 for the Games and be downsized afterward to 5,000, “If this is a solution, this is clearly going to make a revolution in bidding for the Summer Games.” Since the stadium would be designed specifically for the Olympics, and not for an NFL team, Turner VP Gary Birdsall said that requires a “paradigm shift” (NBCSPORTS.com, 3/5).

Company Plans To Submit $366M Bid To Build Olympic Stadium

HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE? In Illinois, Joseph Ryan reports four of the 11 USOC Board members, who will pick between Chicago and L.A. for the U.S. bid, “either live in L.A. or have direct ties” to the ’84 L.A. Games. While the twin brother of USOC CEO Jim Scherr is “an integral part of Chicago’s bid,” Scherr does not have a vote. USOC officials said that members “will not play favorites and will decide only on which city offers the best plan and the best shot at approval from the [IOC]” (DAILY HERALD, 3/6).

ABSOLUTE SUPPORT: A CHICAGO TRIBUNE editorial states the city’s commitment to the bid is “absolute,” from Mayor Richard Daley to local business leaders. Olympic supporters raised $9.4M in one night last week from area corporations and foundations. The city “also has a history of taking on tough jobs and working relentlessly to conquer them” and has “led America’s urban renaissance” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/6).