Olympic officials to hold public meetings

Mayor Daley’s Olympic team will hold a series of public meetings around the city in the wake of the erosion of public support for the proposed 2016 Olympics following the city’s open-ended financial guarantee.

Working with local aldermen, public meetings are being scheduled so that residents in all of the city’s 50 Wards can meet with the Chicago 2016 organizing committee, aldermen and even Olympic athletes, to talk about the city’s bid for the Summer Games.

A Chicago 2016 official pooh-poohed the notion that this was damage control in the wake of Mayor Daley making a surprise announcement that he would sign an Olympic host-city contract that would leave taxpayers on the hook for any losses.

Kurt Summers, chief of staff for Chicago 2016, said this is about keeping the public informed with just 90 days before the International Olympic Committee votes for a host city. Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo are also finalist cities.

Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) has accused Chicago 2016 Chairman Pat Ryan of “poisoning the well” with elected officials and their constituents by concealing the need to sign the host-city contract.

Preckwinkle welcomed the 50-ward outreach tour in hopes it could stem the erosion of public support for the Olympics.

“As a result of the mayor’s commitment in Lausanne [Switzerland], a number of us are hearing from our constituents who want to know exactly what that means,” Preckwinkle said.

“One way to deal with those concerns — an appropriate way — is to have public meetings. I’m pleased they’re going to get out in the neighborhoods. This is a good beginning. This is what they have to do. They have to get out and talk to people and address concerns head-on. The Olympics has to be a public process. This isn’t a corporate initiative. It’s got to be a public initiative.”

Pressed on what it will take to stop the bleeding of public support, Preckwinkle said, “They have to be very forthcoming on the financial stuff. There were several resolutions introduced in the City Council [demanding third-party analysis of Chicago’s bid]. They have to be responsive to those.”

Ald. Joe Moore (49th) branded the 50-ward outreach “damage control,” adding, “It’s something they should have done years ago.”

Better late than never. But, Moore said it will be a much tougher sell 90 days before the IOC’s decision than it would have been at the beginning of the bid process.

“Public trust is at a low ebb, in part, because of the botched parking meter deal and now this, where it appears the mayor went back on his word that taxpayers will be protected. They have to overcome deep public cynicism as a result of those two fiascos,” he said.

“You also have an economy near collapse, a [city] budget deficit approaching $500 million, layoffs and service reductions. People are more than a little concerned that the Olympics are more than we can take on at this time. They’re gonna have to work hard to convince the public this will benefit everyone and not just the rich and powerful.”

Ald. Manny Flores (1st) called the neighborhood hearings “a step in the right direction.”

“I’ve been very concerned about the need for more transparency. I’m glad they’re going to every part of the city where we will have a full vetting of the games and a better understanding of what the implications are,” he said.

But, Flores said he has no intention of withdrawing the ordinance he introduced last week capping the contribution from Chicago taxpayers at the $500 million already authorized by the City Council.

“We still have to move forward,” he said.

Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) said Daley's Olympic planners “should have started” by building grass-roots support in Chicago neighborhoods, instead of ending there.

“I hope it’s not too little too late,” Hairston said.

She added, “People should have an opportunity to voice their opinions. Maybe if people are heard, that could possibly turn it around” in favor of the Olympics.

Last week, Daley acknowledged the need for more public outreach as he attempted to tamp down a burgeoning political controversy caused by his promise to sign the host-city contract.

“There’s a negotiation going on with the taxpayers of the city of Chicago to make sure they feel comfortable there’s enough protection for them in regards to any over-charges whatsoever. ... And there has to be a process. If not, they will not believe in it,” the mayor said then.

A handful of meetings already have been scheduled including:

•   July 8 at 5:30 p.m., McKinley Park Field House, 2210 W. Pershing Rd.

•   July 13 at 5:30 p.m., North Park University’s Hamming Hall, 3225 W. Foster Ave.

•   July 14 at 6:30 p.m., Garfield Park Field House (Gold Dome), 100 N. Central Park Ave.

•   July 15 at 5:30 p.m., South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 South Shore Dr.

A schedule of meetings will be updated regularly at www.chicago2016.org/backthebid.