88 Pages of Glory: Chicago's Official Olympic Application

By Margaret Lyons in News on Jan 16, 2008 6:34PM

The Chicago 2016 Olympic "applicant file" is now available to the public and it's gosh-darn gorgeous. It's like getting your eyeballs massaged by angel feathers--visually, it's fabulous. Content-wise...well... what are you, new here? A few highlights:

++ The bidding process alone is budgeted at $49.3 million

++ Forecast revenues from the "domestic marketing program" are $2.5 billion

++ 81 percent of the venues—22 of 27—are existing or temporary.

++ "Athletes, teams, the IOC, NOC and IF executives, broadcasters, sponsors and media will travel to and from venues and clusters in dedicated Olympic lanes"

++ "Existing transport infrastructure does not require permanent works to host the Olympic Games"

++ About 79 percent of polled Chicagoans are in favor of having the Olympics here

The 2016 games would be from July 22–August 7.

After the jump, a map from the proposal and more on the plans for permanent infrastructure.

The five new [permanent] venues will leave a powerful and sustainable sports legacy, and all of these facilities will be accessible to athletes with disabilities. The Lakefront Rowing Course creates a signature venue to showcase rowing, canoeing and kayaking. Post-Games, it will be converted to include an expanded public recreational boating marina, capable of reverting to a competition venue should Chicago host future international events. The new, state-of-the-art Olympic Aquatics Center at Douglas Park, one of the plan’s signature venues, will become a regional and national competition center and provide the city’s minority communities with increased access to swimming facilities. The Olympic Slalom Course at Lincoln Park will offer city residents the opportunity to engage in kayaking in a convenient, urban setting.

Chicago’s Olympic Stadium represents a unique opportunity for the Olympic Movement. At the time of the Games, it will be a dramatic purpose-built athletics stadium that meets or exceeds the ideal standards of the IAAF and key Olympic and Paralympic constituencies. Post-Games, the scaled-down reconfigured stadium will be the centerpiece for the revitalization of Washington Park and Chicago’s South Side. The accessible, community-based venue will be used for sports, concerts and other civic events and can be expanded to host major international athletics events. The sustainable, cost-saving approach of the stadium design could be a blueprint for future host cities.

The list of venues and facilities is here.