Chicago loses Olympic Bid

[Meenah]

Reagan, Carter, Bush, Moscow,China, and on and on and on. They all get involved, in some way, good or bad. I think this is one topic where neither extreme (from MSN) can win.

[Bittersweet]

But Pele is an athlete, I'm sure there were some high profile athletes on the US bid as well, but Oprah?

Oprah's involvement seemed wierd to me too.

[DCJenn]

Not when you consider that she's from Chicago.

I'm glad Rio won. I'm more glad that Russia won the winter Olypics for 2014 because I'm taking the dude, come hell or high water.

J/

[HouseofWool]

I think Rio is a very interesting choice. There will be some fantastic scenery but I wonder about their ability to clean up the city. What do you do when roughly half of the population does not have running water or something other than a dirt floor in their hovel? The crime rate is astonishing. There are entire areas of the city that the police do not enter because it is too dangerous for them. The slums are ruled/policed by the druglords.

On the best of days, the infrastructure is shaky - the water and power go out with astonishing regularity. How do you correct for that in just 6 years?

I wonder if their visa rules will be loosening for this. Normally, it takes 3 or more months to get a visa.

That said, it will be a fantastic opportunity for Brazil to come forward in the world perception. It is a shockingly beautiful place with warm, friendly, inviting people. The history is phenomenal - Rio used to be the seat of the Portuguese empire during the Napoleonic wars, so there are stunning gardens and libraries throughout Rio.

Now, my biggest gripe is that E would have been done with training and I would have made damn sure that we went to these Olympics. We both love Brazil. The first downside that I have come across for the separation. hehehe

[Chrisada]

Not when you consider that she's from Chicago.



J/

That was my first thought. President Obama and Oprah are the two most well known people from Chicago and they love their city.
Also DH is from Chicago and we have family members who live in Hyde Park. So I was hoping for Chi even though it was a long shot. It would have been amazing to take the boys.

[McPants]

Not when you consider that she's from Chicago.

Not to mention that she's one of the most if not the most influential woman in the world and that her show airs in 140 countries worldwide. It would have been insane not to involve her in the bid if she was willing to do it regardless of her involvement in the sporting community.

[niener]

I think Rio is a very interesting choice. There will be some fantastic scenery but I wonder about their ability to clean up the city. What do you do when roughly half of the population does not have running water or something other than a dirt floor in their hovel? The crime rate is astonishing. There are entire areas of the city that the police do not enter because it is too dangerous for them. The slums are ruled/policed by the druglords.

On the best of days, the infrastructure is shaky - the water and power go out with astonishing regularity. How do you correct for that in just 6 years?

This is exactly what I was thinking Kris.

I'm so glad South America finally gets a chance to host, but I guess it was NPR I was listening to yesterday where they were talking about the crime rate and poverty rate -- they were not painting a very pretty picture. I'm also fearful that Rio will pour so much money into this event, the amount of debt they will accumulate will put them in even worse shape once the Olympics leave town. Big events like this tend to leave a big mess in their wake.

But on the other hand, these games plus the World Cup in 2014 should direct a lot of attention towards Brazil and hopefully bring with it a lot of good will.

[MarissaNicole]

Most chicagoans associate Oprah with the city. She lives there and films her show there. She also gets special privelidges, for example she shut down Michigan Avenue for one of her recent episodes (of course she paid for it), but I don't think this was the first time she has done this either.

I have found that most of my friends that actually live in the city were against having the Olympics there. There is a long history of host cities going over budget and then the expense gets passed on to the locals through taxes for years and years.

[Sheherezade]

I wasn't surprised. I guess I'm old enough to vivdly remember the Atlanta games. Many people in my family attended. I can't see why they'd do a world wide event that happens every four years again in the U.S.A so soon. It doesn't seem fair. JMHO.

I didn't think that the Obama's or Oprah were out of line. This is just local politics on a national stage. I'd imagine that any sitting president with their hometown in "the hunt" would want a word from them in support. I'd also imagine that this application went in eaons ago. I remember when Baltimore D.C. were hoping to be the contender the U.S. and lost out to Chicago.....and that must have been when we were in Baltimore and my 13 year old was still not in school. I think this process takes a LONG time!

In other news, Cleveland gets to host the Gay Games, Big success story here! No word on if Obama or Oprah had a hand in this coup.

[McPants]

I have found that most of my friends that actually live in the city were against having the Olympics there. There is a long history of host cities going over budget and then the expense gets passed on to the locals through taxes for years and years.

London will be no exception, they've already started siphoning money away from the arts etc, to compensate for unbudgeted expenses.

[SuzySunshine]

Several places are now saying it wouldn't have mattered which US city it was and who was pushing it. They're saying the USOC has major issues and until they are resolved we won't be getting a US olympics anytime soon.

[oceanchild]

One thing I learned living in Brazil is that Brazilians really, really resent being told they're a poor country and being treated as such. The government does all sorts of irrational things to try to get around that perception. It may well be that this is money better spent on improving the favelas in Rio, but no other country will ever convince Lula of that. They desperately want to be taken seriously on the world stage. I hope this helps.