PROTEST CHICAGO'S OLYMPIC BID

*Please post widely*
PROTEST CHICAGO'S OLYMPIC BID
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
5:30PM at CITY HALL (121 N. LA SALLE ST.)

LET THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE KNOW THAT
CHICAGOANS DO NOT WANT THE OLYMPIC GAMES.
The City of Chicago currently has a $500 million budget gap. Chicago Public Schools
are being closed and the CTA is crumbling. The city is staggering from one budget crisis
to the next - and the Mayor's Office is already predicting that the 2010 budget will be worse
than 2009.

Meanwhile, Chicago's City Council has put the taxpayers on the hook for any cost overruns
that would occur if the city gets the Olympics. And Olympics and cost overruns go hand in
hand. Currently, the City of Vancouver, host of the 2012 Winter Olympics is on the hook for
$6 billiion in Olympics cost overruns - which may bankrupt the city. The 2012 Summer Games
in London are 4-times over budget, with a total bill of at least $20 billion.

On October 2nd the International Olympic Committee will decide on the host city for the 2016
Olympic Games. Let you voice be heard... Protest the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid.

CHICAGO NEEDS BETTER HOSPITALS, HOUSING, SCHOOLS AND
TRAINS... NOT OLYMPIC GAMES.
Endorsed by: NO GAMES: Chicago, Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP),
Answer Chicago, Caucus of Rank and File Educators (CORE), International Socialist
Organization, Northside Action for Justice, Green Party Chicago, March 10th Movement, Pilsen Alliance.

For more information or to endorse this action contact: nogameschicago@gmail.com, call (312) 235-2873
or visit nogameschicago.com.

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Permalink Reply by Martin Macias Jr on September 23, 2009 at 6:08am
IVI-IPO rocks!! Thanks for posting it on the site!
Permalink Reply by mike w. on September 23, 2009 at 6:40am
i suspect that Daley is planning to use parking ticket revenues to cover the budget gap...
Permalink Reply by PJ on September 23, 2009 at 6:57am
I'm a fan of this site that got forwarded to me the other day: http://www.chicagoansforrio.com/

It's a site for Chicagoans to support the Olympics... to be in Rio De Janeiro instead of here.
Permalink Reply by Brian Ellison on September 24, 2009 at 1:11am
though I'm not necessarily a fan of the games possibly being in chicago, i would love having an indoor velodrome that is easy to get to and indoors. i just hope the place doesnt get too... "ironic"
Permalink Reply by Homebuilt on September 24, 2009 at 2:48am
Michael Reese closing had nothing to do w/the Olympics, it's been in the works for years now. Out of state owner of facility has been closing it down for years.

Last I had heard, they were going to use the Kenosha velodrome, but that may have been changed.

Frankly, I think the Olympics could bring a lot of good to the city. Massive development on that scale only happens a few times a century, and the opportunity to potentially have significant infrastructure improvements, and a new housing campus in a "difficult" area, is significant, building over the railroad tracks will not happen as a commercial development, but could as part of this, stitching the near-south side to the lakefront (no private developer is going to bother with the issues involved).

Of course there's lots of chance for fraud, etc., but that's why concerned citizens need to be involved in the process rather than just pissing and moaning about it.

"Make no small plans..."

M.A.R.K. said:
One of the sicker things that I think about as far as the Olympics is the closing of the struggling Michael Reese Hospital as the site of the Olympic village. And how the city would rather choose to purchase it to the tune of 1 Billion or so vs. invest money in the local people who depend on that hospital for their health and well being.
Permalink Reply by Brendan Kevenides on September 24, 2009 at 3:22am
I tend to be on board with Homebuilt. Chicago's infrastructure is in shambles. If getting the Olympics means a much improved public transportation system, I'm for it.

Homebuilt said:
Michael Reese closing had nothing to do w/the Olympics, it's been in the works for years now. Out of state owner of facility has been closing it down for years.

Last I had heard, they were going to use the Kenosha velodrome, but that may have been changed.

Frankly, I think the Olympics could bring a lot of good to the city. Massive development on that scale only happens a few times a century, and the opportunity to potentially have significant infrastructure improvements, and a new housing campus in a "difficult" area, is significant, building over the railroad tracks will not happen as a commercial development, but could as part of this, stitching the near-south side to the lakefront (no private developer is going to bother with the issues involved).

Of course there's lots of chance for fraud, etc., but that's why concerned citizens need to be involved in the process rather than just pissing and moaning about it.

"Make no small plans..."

M.A.R.K. said:
One of the sicker things that I think about as far as the Olympics is the closing of the struggling Michael Reese Hospital as the site of the Olympic village. And how the city would rather choose to purchase it to the tune of 1 Billion or so vs. invest money in the local people who depend on that hospital for their health and well being.
Permalink Reply by yellow jello on September 24, 2009 at 4:10am
A velodrome in city limits would be awesome, but I'd rather it be funded by the IOC and/or part of the various taxes I already pay now. Not an increase in taxes for future generations, which the city council committed to, when we go over budget.
[http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/1761087,chicago-olympics-2016...]

I wouldn't worry too much about the velodrome becoming too ironic...since there's nothing ironic about track bikes in velodromes....

But this can only mean that full suspension 30 speed mountain bikes will be the next big thing if we get a velodrome. There's a business idea!


Brian Ellison said:
though I'm not necessarily a fan of the games possibly being in chicago, i would love having an indoor velodrome that is easy to get to and indoors. i just hope the place doesnt get too... "ironic"
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 24, 2009 at 5:57am
LOL Well played Willy.

yellow jello said:
I wouldn't worry too much about the velodrome becoming too ironic...since there's nothing ironic about track bikes in velodromes....

But this can only mean that full suspension 30 speed mountain bikes will be the next big thing if we get a velodrome. There's a business idea!


Brian Ellison said:
though I'm not necessarily a fan of the games possibly being in chicago, i would love having an indoor velodrome that is easy to get to and indoors. i just hope the place doesnt get too... "ironic"
Permalink Reply by mike w. on September 24, 2009 at 6:27am
Homebuilt said:
...

Last I had heard, they were going to use the Kenosha velodrome, but that may have been changed.

...BR>

Won't happen in Kenosha, at least at the Washington Park Velo. That track is not up to Olympic standards (indoor Wooden track, etc...) Kenosha has a beautiful track, but not what the IOC would want.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on September 24, 2009 at 6:31am
Northerly Island would be a TERRIBLE place... just driving & parking there is an expensive and frustrating nightmare already. Spectators and racers would probably stay away in droves.

Wasn't Douglas Pk. a proposed site?

h3 said:
The Velodrome proposal was for Douglas Park.
Here's the quote:
http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=33413

I've thought Northerly Island would be the most appropriate place for a Velodrome.

I could be wrong but I think Michael Reese's closing happened prior to and independently of the Olympic onslaught.
Permalink Reply by J on September 24, 2009 at 7:03am
Washington Park was an early rumor, making the velodrome walking distance from the proposed Olympic stadium location. And coincidentally walking distance from my shop. In any case, if the games do come to Chicago, a new facility will be required.

I've lived in three Olympic cities and have seen the good and bad in the aftermath. But one thing is for sure: the popularity of niche sports like track cycling are impacted in a very significant and lasting way. For those of us who wish for real growth of the sport, the games are Chicago's best (and only) bet.
Permalink Reply by dan brown on September 24, 2009 at 7:06am
It's all very Orwellian. scary.

I'd love to see Tom Tomorrow (the cartoonist) do a strip on the 'ministry of (dis)information' that is promoting this huge boondoggle.

DB

h3 said:
Thanks for posting.
Previously I had the Chicago Olympics sort of evenly distributed between the plus and minus column, but the way they've chosen to market it to us has sickened me to the point that I'm now a staunch opponent.
Anyone hear heard the audio ads on the bus?
Frikkin' tell me why I should want the Olympics in Chicago, not that I want them.
And don't use my tax money to tell me what I should want my tax money to go to.

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