Olympics 2016

CHICAGO (CBS) ― It all begins at Saturday morning: Chicago's Olympic face-off with an International Olympic Committee evaluation commission, presenting, then defending, its plan for the 2016 summer games.

But Friday, Chicago tried to take advantage of the media coverage of the visit to send a message to other IOC voters around the world.

They hoped to send that message through visiting journalists who were wined and dined at one of Chicago's most beautiful spots, the top of the John Hancock, on a night you could see forever. Chicago 2016 tossed a big party. And it was packed.

"Many times, this is the first (time" the international press has been to Chicago," Mayor Daley said.

Chicago-style hotdogs and ground-beef sliders were on the menu. Many locals showed up tonight, and Chicago icons have started to show their support for the bid.

One of Chicago's best-known chefs, Charlie Trotter, has invited credentialed visitors to visit for free. Oprah will dine with commission members on Monday. Buddy Guy and Coco Taylor will entertain them. And Michael Jordan just appeared in his first 2016 video.

With meetings scheduled to start Saturday morning, the bid team has prepared an elaborate display inside the Fairmont Hotel, complete with a high-tech touch screen to effectively whisk commission members all over the city, show them cultural attractions and sports venues -- outside and in.

One new face on hand Friday was the woman at the center of a shake-up at the U.S. Olympic Committee. Stephanie Streeter has few international ties at a time we really need them.

"There's always change in the wind, and I don't think it'll affect the bid or anything that has to do with USOC and IOC relationships," she said.

The city is putting its best foot forward as officials wine, dine and pamper the the members of the International Olympic Committee who are in Chicago to evaluate the city's 2016 Olympic bid plans.

Friday morning, the members of the IOC evaluation commission were holding closed-door meetings with top city officials at the Fairmont Hotel downtown, discussing various parts of the city's bid and Olympic business.

Chicago 2016 Chairman Pat Ryan spoke to reporters Friday afternoon and showed them a touch screen monitor that highlights how close the venues will be to each other and the city's cultural attractions.

Ryan said a major part of the presentation will center on how Chicago is not only a global city, but a city of ethnic diversity that will be comfortable for visitors from all over the world.

Ryan points out, for example, that among 15,000 volunteers, 65 languages are spoken.

Chicago is the first city the committee members are visiting; the city is competing with Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Madrid for the 2016 Games. The committee will pick a host city on Oct. 2. 

 Complete Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid Book (.pdf)

Sunday is the city's day to shine following the closed-door meetings. That is when the IOC members will actually go out on tour to see the city's proposed Olympic venues firsthand, around the lakefront, in Washington Park and in other parks.

Even though the weather forecast remains wintry, Buckingham Fountain was turned on for the season on Friday, especially for the IOC members. The historic fountain got the biggest facelift in its history in the offseason, with new landscaping, a plumbing upgrade, and a new brick paver system that allows for better drainage. The upgrade cost $25 million.

Buckingham Fountain is considered the most recognizable attraction in Chicago, and it just happens to be ready for display.

Elsewhere, an immense banner celebrating the 2016 bid covers the rusty metal on the Michigan Avenue Bridge, and the columns at 111 S. Wacker Dr. are decorated with the city's log and the slogan, "Let friendship shine." Businesses helped pay for back-the-bid signs and flags elsewhere, like the one on the University of Chicago's Gleacher Center, 450 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr.

The city has also spruced up 227 sidewalk meetings on Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street with new plants donated by local businesses. The bridges along the Chicago River are being lit to support the Olympic Games, and light poles around proposed venues have been painted, and street paving in Washington and Douglas parks has been moved up.

The City of Chicago has also moved up the installation of a sculpture exhibit in Millennium Park to help wow the IOC members.

The dignitaries are also being treated to fine cuisine with fancy names. The Aigre Doux Restaurant, 230 W. Kinzie St., is providing the IOC members with a Monday six-course luncheon, with such items as slow-braised kobe short rib, miso-glazed Alaskan black cod, and seared ahi tuna with citrus-jicama salad and ponzu sauce.

Many Chicagoans are getting into the spirit, but some have mixed feelings about the games.

"This is a time to put Chicago on the worldwide map; obviously with the president being from here, it's another opportunity for us to shine," said Basili Aulaos.

"People are concerned about the financing, and that is very important," said Cortez Cosey. "It would be very difficult if a lot of things are on the taxpayers."

"It is a good thing, but I do hope that all of our neighborhoods benefit from it," said Gerry Weston.

"I can't understand people being against it. I really don't," said Irma Verros. "I think it's great; fantastic."

On Friday morning, volunteers handed out T-shirts in Daley Plaza, encouraging everyone to wear the shirt to show the IOC Chicago's desire to get the games. Dozens of people who wanted T-shirts formed a line, followed by dozens more, and a couple of Chicago Police officers even hopped out of their wagon to pick up a T-shirt.

But some Chicagoans most assuredly do not have Olympic fever.

On Thursday, Chicago Police officers represented by the Fraternal Order of Police gathered around City Hall and in Daley Plaza, picketing over their lack of a contract with the city since 2007, and voicing their disappointment with Supt. Jody Weis. While those subjects did not relate directly to the Olympics, the officers did deliberately pick the day of the IOC members' arrival to stage the protest.

Another group, No Games Chicago, attacked the city's Olympic plans more directly on Thursday. The group gathered at Federal Plaza and marched to the Aon Center, where the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid committee meets.

The protesters say the city should focus on providing housing and education to Chicago residents, instead of spending money to bring the Olympics to Chicago.

The IOC members weren't there to see the protest, but the Chicago Tribune says the protesters will pitch tents in Washington Park on Sunday when the IOC goes there to tour the venue sites.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Reader this week published a column entitled, "Open Letter to the IOC: Why you don't want to give Chicago the Olympics." The article was written by Ben Joravsky, who has been editorializing against the Olympics for more than two years, and is a longtime critic of Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The article claimed that the city cannot afford the games and that argued that despite a promise for private funding, taxpayer money would end up being used to support the games.

"People around here are going to be very, very displeased if they're asked to cover the mayor's enormous bet," Joravsky wrote. "Think of the citizenry of Chicago as a big sleeping giant. One day that giant will be stirred from his slumber."

Joravsky argued that if voters got upset with Mayor Daley between now and 2016, the Olympics would be cast as the enemy.

But will these protests and editorials sway the Olympic Committee members? Lori Igelski of Chicago 2016 says the bid committee isn't too worried about it.

"The IOC has encountered protests in other cities, and because everyone has an opportunity to express themselves, what's going on here is not that different from what they've seen before," Igelski said. "So that's fine. We expect that there will likely be people expressing their opinion, and that's fine. We think there will be far more people expressing positive support for the bid."

The 13 IOC members are here until Tuesday.

CBS 2's Joanie Lum and Roseanne Tellez, CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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