L.A.'s strategy: name-dropping
While Chicago aims for more than $1.8 billion in privately financed new construction for the 2016 Olympics, "we don't have to worry about building new venues or looking for investors or anything like that,'' Schwarzenegger said outside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Los Angeles officials emphasized that venues and housing already exist there to host the Olympics. Plus, they touted Hollywood charisma, including Schwarzenegger, an internationally known movie star who might be able to use his celebrity to sway overseas opinion if L.A. gets down to the final vote.
"I will fly anywhere,'' Schwarzenegger told reporters. "We deserve to have the games here.''
"We've got the beaches, the glitz and the glamor, and now we even have David Beckham,'' L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, referring to the latest international celeb to call Southern California home. Soccer star Beckham recently signed to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy beginning this summer.
Villaraigosa resisted reporter attempts to get him to match L.A. against Chicago. "We don't want to compare with any city,'' he said. But noting the sun-splashed day, "look, it's wintertime in L.A. right now.''
Schwarzenegger noted that Los Angeles has hosted the Olympics twice before -- in 1932 and 1984. Los Angeles "has incredible tradition and a gold medal record when it comes to hosting these great Summer Games."
Chicago organizers waved off any celebrity advantage L.A. may have.
"Celebrities I think are fine, but I think the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee will be focused on the Games that you can provide, the venues and the experience your Games will deliver,'' said Patrick Sandusky, spokesman for the Chicago 2016 Bid Committee.