Chicago To Host 2016 Olympic Bid Fundraiser, Celebration In July

The second round of fundraising for Chicago's 2016 Olympics bid will debut July 14 at Millennium Park with a "celebratory event that will expand efforts well beyond the city's business and civic elite," according to Kathy Bergen of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The event, tittled "Chicago Believes...", will "begin with demonstrations by Olympians, Paralympians and Olympic hopefuls and will continue with a $500-per-person dinner and a variety show featuring an array of local performers," including members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bandoleros and Hubbard Street Dance. The committee "hopes to draw 2,000 donors to the dinner." The performance-only tickets will be $100 per person, and free seating will be available for another 7,000 people. During the event, there will be "opportunities to sign up as a bid volunteer, to donate to the bid and to purchase Chicago 2016 merchandise." Chicago 2016 Communications Dir Patrick Sandusky said that the committee "does not have a specific fundraising goal for this event" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/18). In Chicago, Fran Spielman reports Chicago 2016 yesterday "released a list of 94 movers-and-shakers who have ponied up the $100,000 -- or $1[M] in-kind contribution -- needed to become co-chairs of 'Chicago Believes'" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/19).