Apr 1, 2009 10:46 pm US/Central
Chicago Dressed To Impress For Olympic VIPs
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Chicago's Olympic inspection begins Thursday. For the next five days, members of the International Olympic Committee will scour the city one last time before they make their decision in October. While officials are putting Olympic touches around Chicago, there are serious concerns about what happens if they actually say "yes."
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports that the Olympic Evaluation Commission will be staying at the Fairmont Hotel, and it's where they will hear Chicago's pitch in a room that's now off-limits to everyone except bid team members who are anxiously awaiting the arrival of 13 very influential IOC members.
If you traveled around town Wednesday, it almost looked like the city was getting a spring cleaning. City crews were actually washing traffic lights. It's all part of the push to get the 2016 Olympic Games.
And it includes a glitzy new video showcasing Chicago.
The Olympic VIPs who arrive Thursday will spend almost a week evaluating the city's bid.
On a sun-splashed day on the shores of Douglas Park lagoon, city workers are out in force cleaning up for the Olympic committee.
A hundred yards away, a huge crane was lifting the structure of a solar panel for what will be an electric vehicle recharging station.
On Sunday, the evaluation commission will tour Douglas Park and other proposed Olympic venues.
On Wednesday, like a pep rally before a big game, Mayor Daley and Pat Ryan rallied support for the visit.
"Every time we meet with the International Olympic Committee, they say make sure you keep the enthusiasm of the people of Chicago high," Ryan said.
Ryan says 78 percent of Chicagoans support the bid.
But it was one Chicagoan, featured in a new video they played for the first time today, mixing inspiring Olympic performances and iconic Chicago streetscapes, who really hit home – Michael Jordan.
"The Olympic spirit is alive in Chicago," Jordan said in the video. "We're ready."
Ryan had been telling us for years that Jordan was behind the bid. But this was his first appearance in a Chicago 2016 video.
But while the group brought together at Douglas Park was stressing how much the games would do for Chicago, another group was protesting a resolution promising 30 percent of Olympic contracts to minorities, as not legally binding.
"They want concerns met, they want guarantees," said Shannon Bennett of Kenwood Oakland Community Organization.
Among those standing with the mayor today was the alderman who helped hammer out that agreement.
"It's gonna be a factual document that we delivered," said Ald. Ed Smith. "So I don't have any trepidation about it. There's no reason to have any fears whatsoever."
The group vowed to protest anyway, as have Chicago police officers upset about lack of progress on a new contract.
Ryan didn't seem concerned.
"People demonstrate in all cities so the IOC is not unaccustomed to protesters, they'd wonder why there weren't any if there weren't any," Ryan said.
Meanwhile, the
Olympic VIPs that are coming to Chicago in just a matter of hours will get a personal tour of some of the best sights in the city.
CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports that a giant "IMAGINE" sign hangs across the Michigan Avenue Bridge helping the city spruce up.
The city won't be wining and dining the delegates prior to Saturday's meetings - it's up to the delegates themselves to experience what the city has to offer.
The windy city is dressed up for a golden Olympic date: 2016 flags and banners adorn Michigan Avenue, and city crews are patching up and smoothing over a busted up section of sidewalk in front of the Fairmont Hotel that will host the dignitaries.
"I have to wear my badge all the time, otherwise I cannot go anywhere," said Fairmont Hotel manager Andre Zoto.
Even the manager must pass security now to get to certain floors of his hotel.
The hotel was asked not to make too much of a fuss for the delegates, absolutely no upgraded suites.
"It's a humble experience, protocol is very strict," Zoto said.
In the lobby, 2016 volunteers were rehearsing for the weekend meetings - using cheat sheets to commit the faces of incoming representatives to memory. Starting Saturday, delegates will be attending nonstop meetings here, and won't be casually touring the city.
"There won't be a lot of time for that, it's a very scheduled program and we got a lot of things to cover in a short time," said Chicago 2016 spokesman Patrick Sandusky.
They will venture past proposed Olympic sites, including the stadium site at Washington Park, the Olympic Village south of McCormick Place and the cycling and volleyball venue at Northerly Island.
The chefs at Naha restaurant will be preparing braised chicken and ice-caught white fish for a Saturday luncheon - but they have to cater everything directly to the delegates' hotel.
"Of course we are a little nervous, but it's fun," said Chef Michael Nahabedian.
Even Adriane Dragomir's taxi is decked out for the visit. He suggests in their free time before Saturday, the delegates try to have some fun in a neighborhood like Wicker Park.
"It just comes alive after 10:00," Dragomir said.
There is one official off-site dinner at The Art Institute of Chicago, which incidentally houses a world class collection of Impressionist paintings second only to the Louvre in Paris - an impressive choice.
But what if the committee says yes? Some call it a case of 'be careful what you wish for.'
Chicago would love to have the games but somehow people are gonna end up paying for it, and the rich are just gonna get richer.
When asked if he understands that perception, Pat Ryan said, "I do, but I don't think it is as pervasive as you think it is, but I do. And it's a legitimate question and it's our job to show the cushions, the protections that we have. And we're not building things that others have had to build in the past."
Instead, they are choosing temporary structures rather than huge monuments which then go unused.
Wednesday night, at a party with the bid team being celebrated in the new Michigan Avenue magazine with the Mayor Daley on the cover, CBS 2's Jay Levine asked him if the city was really ready for the commission's tough questions.
"All the cities are gonna compete heavily," Mayor Daley said. "We believe that the United States of America, it's our time to bring it back here."
Unspoken tonight was the imminent indictment of Rod Blagojevich coinciding with the commission's visit. And the epidemic of violence around the proposed Olympic venues - Washington Park and Douglas Park.
Neither politics nor protests are likely to have much of an effect on the commission's report. Chicago just has to make sure it doesn't make any major blunders. And perhaps cross its fingers that nothing worse than an indictment of a former governor happens while they're here.
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine and CBS 2's Vince Gerasole contrbuted to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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