Another Chicago 2016 Round-Up

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jul 9, 2009 7:20PM

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.

• The first of those neighborhood meetings was held last night and according to WBEZ, it had a pretty decent turn-out. A crowd of around 400 showed up and apparently many were there supporting the games. The next meeting will be Monday, July 13 at 5:30 PM: 39th and 40th Wards - North Park University’s Hamming Hall - 3225 W. Foster Ave.
• Another problem has cropped up for the Chicago bid and it actually has nothing to do with the city itself. Rather, the IOC and USOC tangle over TV rights and money has once again reared its ugly head. This time, the USOC has announced the creation of its own Olympic network which it did in spite of an IOC request to hold off until the two entities hash out a deal over the previous dispute. If this battle continues to boil, Chicago 2016 may be the victim of collateral damage. USOC Chief Operating Officer Norm Bellingham said, "If this damages the [Chicago] bid, it would be deeply unfortunate, and it is in no way our intention. We are not trying necessarily to advance the Chicago bid, but we believe we are trying to advance the Olympic movement in the U.S. territory."
• The Reader's Whet Moser takes a quick gander at some of the economics of the Olympics after Mayor Daley claims the Olympics are "the best economic engine we have going." To echo Whet: eep.