Now that Daley is leaving City Hall, it seems he's finally venting pent-up frustration over the city's failed 2016 Olympic bid and he's aiming his vitriol at the International Olympic Committee. Daley already warned the future mayor - whoever the hell that turns out to be - against going after the 2020 Olympics after rumors of nefarious origins surfaced over the weekend claiming Chicago would be the odds-on favorite to be the USOC's bid city should they pursue a bid (which they previously said they wouldn't). And now Daley is lashing out directly at the IOC itself. more ›

Well, shit. Did we learn nothing from last year's 2016 Olympic debacle? Let's hope so because a new report in today's Tribune highlights Chicago as "the most viable candidate" should the USOC decide to bid on the 2020 games. Apparently, the failure to land the 2016 Olympics has provided the USOC with plenty of lessons to learn from and while no announcement has been made, we can't help but think, "Not again." Also helping matter for Chicago's chances to be selected by the USOC? The fact that they actually have a plan in place and the timeline for that city selection favors taking that plan and tweaking it: the USOC would have to present a candidate city in 2011 and the IOC would select the 2020 host in 2013. more ›

The fallout from Chicago 2016's first-round failure continues as the USOC announced this weekend that they won't be making another run at the Summer Olympics in 2020. New USOC head Scott Blackmun has been shaking hands and kissing IOC babies in Vancouver during the Winter Olympics in an effort to repair the tarnished image of the USOC that many say cost Chicago any shot at the 2016 Games, which included an attempt to launch their own TV network and fights with the IOC over revenue sharing. Blackmun said over the weekend: more ›

• The Cook County state's attorney's office is doing battle with Northwestern University's Medill Innocence Project over students' work in securing a new hearing for Anthony McKinney, who the project claims was wrongfully convicted for a 1978 murder.
• After months of pressure as a result of the Clout College scandal, University of Illinois chancellor Richard Herman announced his resignation, effective Monday.
• Anger is spreading over a fundraiser being held by the Fraternal Order of Police for Chicago Police officer Joseph Frugoli, who was charged with a DUI and reckless homicide for a drunk driving accident this past spring that claimed the lives of two men. Frugoli was off-duty at the time of the accident.

Losing the 2016 Summer Olympic bid was shocking enough to many Chicagoans; coming in last place was a blow to the ego of a city with a chip on its big shoulders. After two years of wrangling, six months of hype, arm-twisting in the city council and literally millions of dollars in private contributions to pull the bid off, Mayor Daley is coming back to Chicago empty handed, and many people (including those inside City Hall) are asking what went wrong. more ›

• So what happened at the IOC vote? Some say blame the USOC though an Australian IOC rep thinks an Asian alliance may have teamed up to help Tokyo and hurting Chicago's bid as a result.
• Obama had a subdued, respectful reaction to the results - did we expect anything else - but the question as to how much this will impact his legacy looms.
• It took three hours after Chicago's first round bounce for Mayor Daley to surface, but he did and he was straight-forward in his thoughts on the bid: "I'm disappointed but you go on with your life."

The Tribune has the final tallies from the IOC's vote. Madrid was the surprise leader after round one but it seems most of those who voted for Chicago threw their support behind Rio come Round 2 and Tokyo supporters followed suit. more ›

In an announcement that means heartbreak for many but relief for others, the International Olympic Committee has awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics to Rio de Janeiro over Madrid. Chicago, as we all know by now, was eliminated first in a stunning development. more ›

Good morning, Chicago. We're awaiting the start of Chicago 2016's final presentation before the International Olympic Committee. You can follow along at the official Olympics website or watch the presentation live on any of the main network affiliates or their websites. We'll hit the highlights below. more ›

So the day is almost upon us. In fact, a long day of Olympic activities will kick off not only in Copenhagen, but also Chicago not long after midnight Chicago time. That's when - at around 1:45 a.m. our time - all four cities will have a chance to present their case to the IOC one last time. Every major network in town will carry it live both on television and stream it on their website. The IOC will also stream all the fun via their website. For the three of you still awake and on this site at that hour, I'll be covering it as well right here. Once that's all wrapped up, the voting begins. So how will the voting go down? The Tribune's James Janega is all over that question and breaks it down for us. more ›

The IOC is all about pomp and circumstance, which is the only way to explain the opening ceremonies held Thursday night in Copenhagen. An opening ceremony for a vote? Sure, why not. Oprah, Mayor Daley, and Michelle Obama were among the Chicago delegates there while other members continued to spread out around town. The Trib has a running update of today's events. more ›

• Mayor Daley and Governor Quinn are defending the $16 million price tag on the state's tourism spending. If gubernatorial opponent Dan Hynes thinks that's steep now, wait til October 3rd when we might add roughly $4 billion to that.
• Officials downstate are investigating a brutal quintuple homicide in which a couple and three of their children were shot dead in Beason; a 3-year-old girl survived the shooting, but police haven't released any additional details on her condition.
• Investigators have ruled that the fire-related deaths of a couple in their Des Plaines-area home was a murder-suicide.

Speaking of Obama, now he's hinting that he may got to Copenhagen after all to pimp Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid. This...is no surprise. What better way to help the bid about by a sudden reversal in plans and a dramatic entrance? The IOC would eat it up. We're not saying he's definitely going, we're just saying nothing would surprise us anymore. more ›

As it becomes more and more likely that President Obama won't be making that trip to Copenhagen in early October to support the Chicago 2016 bid, some have speculated his absence will hurt the bid's chances. Not so, according to IOC president Jacques Rogge, who said that appearances by heads of state are welcome but, "absolutely not a requirement of the IOC." [Tribune] more ›

Sure, the First Lady is going and Oprah's mulling it over, but President Obama is skeptical he'll get to visit Copenhagen in October to make a last-second pitch for Chicago 2016 because he's got other things on his "to do" list. But to hear at least one member of the IOC talk about it, President Obama is the key to the whole deal for Chicago. An IOC member named Dick Pound (no, really) spoke at a symposium focused on the Olympics last night and said, among other things, "If you have a popular and transformational leader and you don't use him, you're not maximizing your chances. To the extent that the mayor and Pat Ryan can twist the presidential arm, they should do that. I think it could make a huge difference." more ›

There's been much speculation over the past day or two whether or not President Obama will be visiting Copenhagen ahead of the October 2nd IOC vote for the 2016 Summer Olympics host city. Speculation heightened when Mayor Daley, at a press conference this morning, made a reference to a phone call he received from Obama. Now come reports that an Obama is going to Copenhagen, it's just not the one everyone assumed it would be. Instead, First Lady Michelle Obama will take on diplomatic duties in Denmark, helping make a final pitch in the name of Chicago. While the First Lady certainly will make a good impression on the IOC with her dignity and grace, one can't help but wonder if anything less than the President himself matters to the IOC. We also wouldn't be that surprised if the President himself still manages to make the trip, though he claims the fight for his health care reform is what might keep him stateside. more ›

In a move that they hope will boost Chicago's odds of landing the 2016 Olympics, the USOC has decided to delay the launch of their new Olympic-themed TV network. The launch was seen as a hindrance to Chicago's bid because of bad blood launching the network would cause between the USOC and the IOC (who gets to actually vote on who gets the Olympics). Like everything else in life, the conflict really boils down to two things: money and the American spirit of "Screw you, we're doing it anyway." Per the Tribune's report: more ›

There's plenty going on in Chicago's bid to claim the 2016 Summer Olympics. Here's a few of the stories that caught our eye. more ›

Mayor Daley and the Chicago 2016 crew have some unexpected tagalongs at their IOC appearance in Switzerland. It seems a few delegates from No Games Chicago made the trip as well and were carrying literature to distribute to the IOC and it seems Chicago's competition lent a helping hand. According to the Trib's Philip Hersh: more ›

While the International Olympic Committee won’t vote on which city gets the 2016 Summer Olympics until Oct. 2, Chicago 2016 is hard at work lobbying for support from Washington should the city be granted the Games. more ›

With a police picket and an anti-Olympics protest happening, you'd think city officials would be sweating how this all appears to the visiting IOC evaluation commission. And while they may be sweating a bit, they're pulling out all the stops to drown out the shouting and they've appealed to as high an authority as one can in Chicago: Oprah. On Monday, the IOC commission will dine with Oprah, an event which will also feature videotaped appearances by President Obama and Michael Jordan. Chicago 2016 Vice Chairman Mike Roberts said, "When you think about who're really leading this bid, you think about our president. You have the greatest mayor in America. You have the most influential person in the world, if you will, and that's Oprah Winfrey. She will be part of our dinner Monday night." We can think of at least one thing he got wrong. [Tribune] more ›

It's time for that final spit shine. The Chicago 2016 organization is in its home-stretch for preparations concerning the International Olympic Committee's final site visit, which begins next Friday, April 3. The visit lasts through Tuesday, April 7, and during that time, Chicago 2016 will make 17 different presentations to the IOC evaluators, as well as take them around to different parts of the city to showcase Chicago's beauty, filled potholes and all. Yesterday, Chicago 2016 even gave reporters a preview of what they would be presenting to the IOC, including a preliminary version of their final promotional film with voice-over from native actor William Peterson (formerly of C.S.I. fame). more ›

In addition to No Games Chicago's anti-2016 rally planned for the IOC's final site visit on April 2nd, a few other groups are planning demonstrations that weekend as well. A group of community activists is now saying that unless the city agrees to minority contract and affordable housing stipulations as part of the Olympic bid, they make sure they embarrass the mayor. If Mayor Daley "wants to air his dirty laundry to the world, that is entirely up to him," Denise Dixon, executive director of Action Now told the Sun-Times. "If he don't want to see demonstrations in the street when they get here, then he better come up with something," she added. more ›

When the International Olympic Committee pays Chicago a visit in April, they'll be met by a large group of dignitaries and supporters of the Chicago 2016 Summer Olympic bid. But they'll also be met by a group of anti-Olympics protesters. No Games Chicago is saying they'll have a crowd of around 2,000 protesters for the 5 p.m. march from Federal Plaza to the Aon Center (home of Chicago 2016 HQ) on Thursday, April 2. Well, as along as they're granted a permit. One organizer, Bob Quellos, says he's received a permit to form in Federal Plaza already. Quellos voiced his opposition for the Games, saying, "We think it's the wrong priority for the city with the city crumbling." Chicago 2016 President Lori Healey didn't seemed to worried about the protests, saying, "While we respect the right to free speech, we have worked hard to ensure that our Games plan will have broad benefits for the city. Chicago's passion for sport has translated into strong public support for our bid." [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

As the 2008 Beijing Olympics fade into memory, it appears as if Chicago is the current front-runner for the 2016 bid over Rio, Madrid, and Tokyo thanks, in part, to a low-key approach. One unnamed IOC source told the Tribune, "It's Chicago's to lose...If they don't muck it up, they should win." Chicago 2016 spokesman Patrick Sandusky tried to downplay Chicago as a favorite, saying, "We think it's still far too early in this race to identify any city as the front-runner, with four world-class cities in the race, all with compelling campaigns." The final vote for the 2016 Olympics will occur on October 2, 2009. more ›