Chicago 2016 Chief Responds To Poll
By Marcus Gilmer in News on Sep 4, 2009 3:40PM
Chicago 2016 chief Lori Healey went on the defensive about yesterday's Tribune/WGN poll which showed a drop in support for holding the Olympics here. Said Healey, "We've had tremendous public support for having the Games in Chicago. Polls are polls, and they move all the time." Right, we get that. But this poll is moving one direction: down. Originally, Chicago 2016 used a Zogby poll that showed support at 77 percent but an IOC poll released this spring showed support at 67 percent. The new Trib/WGN poll shows support at 47 percent. Even more telling is that the number of those opposed to the Olympics is at 45 percent, nearly equal to those that support the Games. And coming on the heels of an IOC report released this week that wasn't exactly glowing in its assessment of Chicago's plans, we'd imagine Healy and company might be sweating a bit. But from the sounds of things, no one's worried.
Healey spoke at a hospitality industry event backing the bid, hosted by Tim O'Malley of Concierge Preferred, who dismissed the poll's findings."There was a whopping sample size of 385 people," O'Malley said. "We look at that and we can't take that seriously."
O'Malley said Chicago's hospitality industry is primed and ready to host the 2016 Games, and said he has heard that hotel developers are ready to announce plans to build in early October, if the IOC votes to make Chicago the 2016 site.
Okay, Tim, don't take it seriously. Granted, they're polls run by different entities, but a 30 percent difference? Okay, keep your head in the clouds with the Mayor. We'll see how everyone's feeling come October 3rd.