<p>Probably 2BR+2BA.</p>
<p>I heard a radio interview this morning that if Chicago gets the bid, they will immediately get 1 billion from the IOC to begin the preparations as well as federal grants of nearly the same amount. There was also a conversation about one of the other US summer olympic sites (LA or Atlanta), that still has a surplus from their Olympics with the money funding youth activities. I can’t remember the name of the person being interviewed. But I think she is on the Chicago 2016 committee, not a native Chicagoan but from Salt Lake City and worked on that Olympics. People in Chicago are really divided on this with a lot of residents not trusting their mayor anymore or what he says.</p>
<p>If we rule out Chicago (or any major American city) from hosting the Olympics because of crime, then we’d really have to rule out Rio:</p>
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<p>LOL. Boston’s population is right around 600,000, Chicago’s right around 3 million. Granted, that still gives Chicago a higher murder rate for that particular year, but on a per capita basis the difference is not nearly as large as the raw numbers would seem to suggest because Boston is, comparatively speaking, so much smaller a town. And 2008 was a record year for Chicago. So far, Chicago’s 2009 murder rate is down pretty sharply from 2008, probably bringing it more in line with Boston’s where it’s historically been. TV, movies, and journalistic sensationalism notwithstanding, New York and LA typically have some of the lower murder rates among major US cities; in most years, Boston’s murder rate is higher than New York’s, sometimes nearly double. And Chicago’s is usually not particularly high on a per capita basis—far lower than St. Louis, New Orleans, Detroit, and Philadelphia, to name a few. Moreover, murders in Chicago tend to be heavily concentrated in a handful of troubled, gang-infested neighborhoods on the West and South Sides—pretty far off the beaten path, not the places Olympic athletes or tourists are likely to venture, and mostly related to gang turf wars and the drug trade.</p>
<p>LA was able to do it cheaply because existing stadiums were used to host the Olympics. They used campus facilities and professional sports team facilities to save money. The venues were spread out so congestion was kept at a minimum (for LA standards). I know the Olympics had caused some cities to almost go bankrupt if they had to build every thing from scratch and once the Olympics ended, they had no money to use or maintain these buildings. I read somewhere that Athens is in financial trouble now because of the Olympics.</p>
<p>Madison is a wonderful place.</p>
<p>New Hampshire would be a nice place (talk about low crime rate) but the residents here wouldn’t want it here. It’s a big enough pain when the media and politicians roll in every four years.</p>
<p>It is my understanding that if Chicago gets the Olympics, the Olympic village will be on land that was once Michael Reese Hospital and Med Ctn (2500 to 3100 south, MLK Drive to Lake Shore Drive) .not sure what they plan for the Prairie Shores Apartment Complex. I think this proposed location is good. Most people could easily and quickly be bused to and from their downtown hotel - alleviating massive traffic problems. The area between the old MRH and downtown has been totally gentrified into upscale townhouses and condos. I believe the mayor lives in this area. </p>
<p>Im not saying it will not take a lot of work but I think it will be good for Chicago. I grew up in Chicago, on the far south-side, in one of those crime-infested areas that worries BCEagle. Most of my relatives and friends who still live there are hoping Chicago wins the bid. They want to show the world what most locals know Chicago is a great place. :)</p>
<p>I live in a city that hosted the Olympics and we were THRILLED to be able to be part of it. A fabulous opportunity. While there were some headaches, it was all worth it and we saved money to attend everything we could. Our family, immediate and extended, all descended on our home and shared some memories of a lifetime. I’ll never forget it.</p>
<p>I am so excited for Chicago and D who now lives there while attending grad school. I’m hopeful but believe Rio will be stiff competition indeed, particularly since it has never been hosted in South America.</p>
<p>I’ve been to Chicago multiple times, most recently this summer. What a wonderful city to be the host. I am confident they will do a magnificent job, if they win the bid.
The setting along Lake Michigan, Millenium Park and more will be a splendid backdrop for the millions of visitors. I’m really rooting for them!!</p>
<p>For the record, I love Chicago, too. I just don’t think it can handle the Olympics. Glad you hear you had a mild Summer up there! I spent four of my ten years there without air conditioning, and it was sweltering, and I just about died. My father still hasn’t forgiven me for dragging him to the Taste on the 4th during his first visit.</p>
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<p>aibarr - my brother is very involved with the Way Station at Palmer Episcopal Church, and I have heard many stories of how many people’s lives have been changed by it. You are doing great things for the homeless that programs like the Way Station cannot provide.</p>
<p>Teriwtt- I forgot that we messaged about Palmer when D was there! Did I tell you her pastor from there (he isn’t there anymore) came here to officiate at her wedding? He is also supervising the Anglican portion of her seminary studies (since she is going to that heathen Vanderbilt place that isn’t just for Episcopalians). Sorry- off topic.</p>
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<p>Our mayor fought hard for 2012 Olympics and lost out. I would’ve loved to have seen them a subway ride away from home. Think they would’ve worked well too: NYC has the mass transit; New Yorkers are basically very friendly (contrary to popular opinion we really do roll out the red carpet for visitors); the city is pretty safe even now without extra security for the Olympics; and we’re definitely used to huge crowds. In New York, no one would even notice another 100,000 people with accents. Actually, we might even have been a bit blas</p>
<p>Chicago residents:
If you are fortunate enough to get the bid, please learn from my regrets. I live in Utah, but not right in SLC. I thought it was cool that we had the Olympics, but I didn’t get very psyched for it up front. Once it was here (and after it was gone), I desperately wished that I had been more involved. I could have volunteered to do tons of things (and gotten a cool volunteer outfit), I could have stood in line to get tickets to the evening medal ceremonies, I could have gone to SLC or other venues many more times before and during the games, I could have rushed to be one of the first to have a (now terribly out-of-fashion) Roots beret…</p>
<p>If you get the bid, get ready to really MAXIMIZE the experience. Bask in it and participate as fully as you possibly can. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that is not to be missed. Good luck!</p>
<p>I really hope Chicago wins the bid. We hope to be living in the northern suburbs by then and I would LOVE to be a part of it. Even if it was just taking a train (a crowded one, I know) into the city and being a part of the crowds and taking in the “experience”. I’ve heard lots of complaints that the average Chicagoan wouldn’t be able to afford to attend any events. So what; a lot of Chicagoans can’t afford a Bulls or Bears ticket. Does that mean the Bulls and Bears shouldn’t be in Chicago?</p>
<p>It would have never worked in New York. Too crowded. The stadium was not on top of Penn Station but in the wastelands of Long Island City. Constructing anything with New York’s codes, the mafia involvement in construction, the costs would have been impossible. </p>
<p>There is a reason all 3 new stadia (Yankees, Mets, Giants/Jets) are next to the old ones in parking lots or parks - doing anything on existing land owned by others is impossible.</p>
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<p>I hesitate to mention this because I don’t want this to turn into a political thread, but I went to Grant Park the night Obama won the presidential election. I took the Metra in from one of the northern suburbs, so when we arrived at Union Station, I had no idea what to expect when I climbed up the stairs to street level. Chicagoans were at their best that night - incredibly well-behaved. There was lots of excitement, of course, but not like some cities get when their team wins a sports championship and violent celebrations break out. The police were extremely visible, but helpful, and in fact, directing people back to the train stations and queing them up was non eventful. One more thing I’d like to add about downtown Chicago, for people who have never been here. It is the cleanest big city in America I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t smell in the summertime, the public works crew does an excellent job, landscaping is beautiful and Lake Michigan provides a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area. I’d say the only drawback to hosting a summer event at which some activities will take place outside, is the probability that, at some point over the course of two weeks, there will be your typical Midwest summer thunderstorms that roll in the area. Perhaps Atlanta had to worry about that a bit, too, but I don’t think LA did.</p>
<p>Sorry Chicago is eliminated in the first round. </p>
<p>Tokyo eliminated in the second round.</p>
<p>I was at the rally, thousands of people all going “Huh?” in the exact same instant.</p>
<pre><code> It fired up the the Rio contigent and I’m happy for them. Chicago 2020. Now we are focused on the big marathon in ten days.
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<p>A lot of my (fast) friends are running that marathon.</p>