Aug 9, 2006 12:04 pm US/Central
Chicagoans Already Excited About Olympic Prospects
U.S Olympic Committee To Discuss Chicago's Olympic Plans, Help Position City To Compete
by Kristyn Hartman
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Chicagoans are already getting excited about the chance to play host to the world as the U.S. Olympic Committee meets with Mayor Richard M. Daley and other city officials about the 2016 Summer Games.
"I think our chances are just tremendous," said Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Jerry Roper.
As CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports, the objective of the meeting is to evaluate Chicago's plans and to position the city better to compete for the games, both on the national and international stage.
That will take work, but some Chicagoans, including Nick Dahnka, are already gearing up.
"I would welcome them with open arms; I'd give them a hug and a kiss," Dahnka said.
Dahnka has high hopes for Chicago and believes the Olympics will be beneficial for city businesses, including the parking facility where he works.
"Chicago people benefit; everybody benefits. I work parking; all the parking here will benefit," he said.
Within the U.S., San Francisco and Los Angeles are with Chicago in the pool of remaining contenders.
Roper said Chicago has the most to offer.
"When you take a look at location – some people are focused on stadium. These games are all about athletes, but more importantly they're about the money to support them. Chicago can provide that marketplace," Roper said.
Meanwhile, Roper said the Windy City also has essential infrastructure and an established transportation network in place, along with a greater number of hotel rooms, restaurants and cabs than other American contenders.
"I think Chicago being a central city is going to be a very attractive site," said Chicago resident John Hansoul.
To land the games, the city has promised – among other things – major corporate support, efficient mass transit, and compact events.
But one of the sticky issues has been a stadium large enough to hold some 80,000 people for opening and closing ceremonies. Experts have said that means embracing a single-stadium concept, which might mean a temporary facility, rather than other alternatives such as using Soldier Field and another facility.
The meeting on Wednesday is not open to the public. At the meeting, U.S. Olympic Committee officials are conducting a detailed review of plans submitted, and they will work to make sure expenses in the bidding process are kept to a minimum.
Mayor Daley and other officials have said ensuring low expenses are a paramount concern for them.
"The Olympics must not be a financial burden to taxpayers," the mayor said recently.
"We want a sports legacy -- great Olympics -- and we want an urban legacy," said Patrick Ryan of the Chicago Olympic Committee.
As for the opening and closing ceremony stadium issue, no one would comment on that Wednesday morning, but city officials planned to take questions later in the day about the meeting and specific subject matters.
The final decision will come before the end of the year. The U.S. Olympic Committee might end up not submitting any American city for consideration, but feedback has been that now could be the time for a U.S. host.
"We're still working on the larger question of whether or not we'll proceed with the U.S. bid," said USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel. "If we do, we have set the end of March 2007 as the time frame to have U.S. city selected."
U.S. Olympic Committee officials will visit San Francisco on Thursday and Los Angeles on Friday.
The International Olympic Committee is expected to choose the site in 2009.
Observers have said this is the United States' best shot at landing the Olympics in years. The country last hosted a Summer Games in 1996 in Atlanta.
As for the other cities, if San Francisco wins the bid, city officials said they plan to build a new stadium and housing for athletes by the city's waterfront that would later be used as apartments.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, still has stadiums and water parks left over from the 1932 and 1984 Olympics to meet most of the Olympic Games' needs, officials there said.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
