Apr 9, 2007 10:41 pm US/Central
Just 5 Days Until Chicago Finds Out About Olympics
U.S. Olympic Committee Set To Announce Decision On 2016 Bid Saturday Afternoon
by Jay Levine
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Chicago's Olympic team will make its final pitch to the U.S. Olympic Committee on Saturday, and in five days we will know if Chicago is still in the running to host the 2016 games.
Mayor Richard M. Daley first told CBS 2, exclusively, that Chicago would be going for the gold while CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine was traveling with him in the Middle East.
That was 11 months ago. Now, the city's bid is down to the final 40 minutes.
Former Olympian Mike Conley, CBS 2 has learned, will present part of Chicago's closing argument.
"No matter how well I have it down today, it's not gonna be good enough until the time comes," Conley said.
The time comes at midday Saturday. Chicago will make its case first because Los Angeles was visited first. Six presenters will have exactly 40 minutes to speak, then take questions from the board.
"We have experts that understand that and monitor that whole hour period, every second, every bit of it," Conley said.
Chicago's team will be led by Mayor Daley, who spoke with CBS 2 Monday night, and like a cagey competitor, never mentioned his opponent. He didn't have to.
"We've been working on it, so we I look forward to our presentation because you have to have a passion, you have to have spirit and Chicago has a spirit, has a soul, and most cities don't have a soul or spirit," Daley said.
Los Angeles will follow Chicago. After that, the site selection commission will make its report.
Sources tell CBS 2 they will not make a recommendation, nor will USOC executives.
There will be discussion, debate and deliberations, followed by the vote of 11 USOC board members.
At approximately 4 p.m. Eastern Time, they will announce their decision and who gets the face the international candidates.
"This is like the Olympic trials," Conley said. "You know first you have to have your Olympic trials, the primary and then you have the election, the Olympic games, and if you're not ready for the Olympic trials, you can forget about the games, cause you're not gonna make it. We'll be ready."
Chicago hopes it is ready to start a whole new campaign against Rio, Tokyo, Rome and others.
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