This Week's Olympic Showdown

By Matt Wood in News on Mar 2, 2007 2:16PM

This week the US Olympic Commission is in Los Angeles sizing up the city’s bid for hosting the Olympics.  Next week, the Commission will arrive in Chicago.
 
It can’t be a positive thing for comparison that it is currently 60 degrees and sunny in Los Angeles, and this morning we had the pleasure of snow, again.  Luckily it is the Summer games and at least Chicago can show pictures of the 2 summer months when this is a hospitable place to be.
 
So why should it be Chicago and not L.A.  who would be so lucky to be inundated with international tourists for several months?

• L.A. has hosted the Olympics on 2 separate occasions; Chicago has never been the site of the Olympics.
• Chicago covers much less area, and when the CTA is operating, supposedly it makes the city more accessible than the sprawl that is L.A.
• L.A. only has to spend $112 million on Coliseum renovations, Chicago has proposed a $366 million south side venue at Washington Park.
• Without some major upset or illness, Chicago can almost guarantee political stability in Mayor Daley.
• Chicago held a fundraiser last night that raised over $9 million to fund the city's bid. So far, L.A. hasn't announced how much money they have in the bank.

As a less objective factor, Chicago may have more excitement in getting the Olympics for the first time.  Last night we heard that the Chicago Tribune has run almost three times as many stories as the LA Times. Of course, we might want to behave ourselves, because the USOC told both Chicago and L.A. to knock off the sniping at each other.

Thanks Lou!