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Chicago Loses Olympic Bid In First Round

Kevin Patra |
October 2, 2009 | 6:25 a.m. PDT

Senior Editor

Even with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (left) and President Barack Obama (right)
a Chicago native, campaigning hard, the IOC knocked them out in the first round of
voting ( Photo courtesy of Chicago 2016 Bid Book)

Chicago did just about everything it possibly could do in its
attempt to woo the 2016 Olympics to the western shore of Lake Michigan. It
spent millions on a bid package, bowed to the International
Olympic Committees' desire for the host city to guarantee all finances and
convinced the President of the United States to fly to Denmark to make a pitch.
None of it worked.

Chicago was ousted in the first round of voting by the IOC on
Friday. Rio de Janiero, Brazil, received the nomination, making 2016 the first
time the Olympics will be held in South America.  Tokyo, Japan and Madrid, Spain were the other
finalists. 

Chicago's early exit from competition came as a shock to many
experts who thought the American city would at least make it to the final
round. Thousands of Chicagoans packed the downtown streets on a windy morning,
only to leave blown away by the committee's decision.

"Super surprising, stunned, shocked," said Alan
Abrahamson who writes about the Olympics for Universal
Sports.

Abrahamson said the U.S. was worried the first round might be their downfall as many countries side with countries from their own continent and region early in the voting for political reasons.  Bidding against cities from Asia, Europe and South America, the U.S. seemed out on its own in the first round.

Even the words of the still popular President Barack Obama couldn't tip the scale towards the U.S. Obama was the only person the IOC memembers aplauded during the U.S. bid presentation.  He then stayed to shake hands with many members after the 45-minute presentation and 15-minute question period were finished.

"Chicago is a place where we strive to celebrate what makes us different
just as we celebrate what we have in common." Obama told the IOC. "It's a place where our
unity is on colorful display at so many festivals, parades, and
especially sporting events, where perfect strangers become fast friends
at the sight of the same jersey."

Still it wasn't enough to win Chicago the day.

Check back next week for Kevin Patra's commentary on why it might be a good thing that Chicago lost the bid. 



 

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