Us against the world
3 key factors -- plus international 'buzz' -- give Chicago the edge over L.A.
WASHINGTON -- Chicago on Saturday won the first leg of the marathon contest to host the 2016 Olympic Games, beating Los Angeles for the right to represent the United States against cities around the world.
Next up for Chicago: convincing the International Olympic Committee, which will choose among cities that could include Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo in October 2009.
The Windy City's winning formula, according to a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee board, which chose Chicago in a "close" contest:
(Scott Stewart/Sun-Times)
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Chicago 2016
• Its "legacy" projects, including a privately financed $1.1 billion Olympic Village near McCormick Place and a $78 million aquatics center in Douglas Park.
• Its $1 billion-plus financial guarantees against revenue shortfalls, a combination that includes taxpayer-backed dollars and, announced Saturday, a $500 million insurance policy promised by an undisclosed insurance firm.
"That's why I jumped right out of the seat" when the announcement was made here, he said. "I was like a little kid watching the Olympics."
The 11-member USOC board preferred Chicago's new construction and status as a first-time host over Los Angeles' ready-to-roll existing venues and a promise to rejuvenate interest in the Games among young people using its Southern California entertainment industry. L.A. has twice before hosted the Games.
USOC board member Bob Ctvrtlik said both cities made "excellent" presentations but cited the three factors in praising Chicago. "They gave our board a level of assurance that might have been the differentiation between the cities," he said.
The USOC board voted by secret ballot, so no one knew the victor -- including USOC board chairman Peter Ueberroth -- before Ueberroth dramatically opened a white envelope in a hotel ballroom and announced Chicago as the winner.
Olympic officials said the one-hour final presentations made before them by the two cities Saturday were crucial. Indeed, Linda Mastandrea, a Rogers Park attorney and former Paralympics medal winner who was part of the six-member Chicago pitch squad, said she practiced about 50 times. As a whole the group practiced more than a dozen times, she said.
Ueberroth cited enthusiasm he detected about Chicago -- from "the average person on the street" to even a buzz that developed internationally.
"All of a sudden, [your] part of the country kind of awakened to the Olympic movement and stepped forward so aggressively," he said. "It caught everybody's attention early."
He was also struck by the Olympic Village concept, which will provide athletes with a private beach and shoreline dining. "I love the idea of the athletes on the lakefront. I don't think that's ever happened, and that could be great."
Still, in the end "it was a close vote ... not a landslide vote," he said.
Chicago officials have said the nearly $3 billion operating budget can be covered by Olympic revenues, including television contracts and sponsorship funds. However, the city has pledged $500 million if revenues fall sGov. Blagojevich is working to develop a $150 million "safety net" in government backing, and Patrick Ryan, chairman of the Chicago 2016 committee, unveiled Saturday an agreement with an insurance company that will sell the group a $500 million insurance policy on revenue shortfalls.
Ryan said the insurance plan has been in development for about a month. Ryan is the founder of Aon Corp., an insurance brokerage firm, but he said his company is not writing the policy. He refused to name the insurance company.
The Chicago 2016 committee also announced it was developing a plan with area universities to provide scholarships to Olympic athletes who drop out to focus on their sport.