Aug 11, 2008 6:14 pm US/Central
Daley In Beijing Makes Case For Chicago 2016 Games
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Mayor Richard M. Daley spoke with Olympics reporters from around the world, hoping to make the case for Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Games.
CBS
Sweet home Chicago was Beijing's Jasmine Restaurant, rented for the Olympics by the U.S. Olympic Committee. Chicago chose the venue to tell its Olympic story to the world's reporters.
"It's a very proud moment for me as mayor to be a candidate city," a laid-back Mayor Richard M. Daley said while mingling with Olympic reporters.
USOC head Peter Ueberroth was also there, at a reception unlike the other candidate cities' news conferences to talk about their Olympic plans.
It was also the final event of the mayor's week-long visit, during which he and others spoke with more than 50 International Olympic Committee voters.
Daley said his lasting impression of the games included, "The opening ceremonies, the number of volunteers that I've had the opportunity to meet in so many different ways; the future of China, their excitement, they're very proud of their volunteers."
Daley expects the people of Chicago will show the same kind of enthusiasm should Chicago be chosen to host the 2016 Summers Games.
But he said Chicago will not make the $50 billion investment China's made for Beijing's games.
"No city has ever spent that and we will not spend that," Daley said.
And Chicago shouldn't have to. Beijing had no subways before new ones were built for the Olympics. The same was true for all the sports venues. Beijing had none, where Chicago has many.
Daley said that the lessons he's learned and people he's met in Beijing during several trips there will be invaluable as Chicago continues to refine its bid for the games.
"I'm here to learn a lot and hope, afterwards, the organizers we will have a relationship that would educate us about the issues they had and the difficulties they had," Daley said.
Daley is headed back to Chicago, but the rest of the 2016 delegation will stay on in Beijing. The games provide a rare opportunity for unrestricted contact with the 120 IOC members who will decide who gets the games Chicago wants.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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