When I moved to the Chicago land area at 6 years old, I didn’t know that I was moving an hour away from one of the best cities of the world. Ever summer my mother, my brother and I would take the train from Vernon Hills to Union Station. We would spend the day on Michigan Avenue or visiting the Field Museum. In the winter our dad would come too and we would go window shopping. Or visitors from Canada would be taken on a trip to DOWNTOWN CHICAGO. There was always a new adventure waiting for us. My impressionable mind grew to love the city of Chicago, and my heart is still there.

On October 2nd, 2009, when the International Olympic Committee ruled that Chicago would not hold the Olympics in 2016, I was pissed. Frustrated. How could they? Chicago was the best city in the world! Their loss! We brought everybody. Barack and Michelle Obama, and even Oprah went to our aide. We had supporters like Hillary Clinton, Michael Jordan, and Michael Phelps. How could we lose (I take that statement back, e.g. Cubs)?

One issue, not so much for the IOC (for there is always money to be found), but for people in Chicago, is the budget. Chicago projected a $5 billion budget for the 2016 games. This, however, comes quite short from Beijing’s $40 billion spent in 2008 (money is easy to come by when you’re communist). 5 years ago, Athens’ budget was set at $2.4 billion. The final cost? $9 billion. Who isn’t to say that the Chicago games wouldn’t actually cost three times the projected budget? There has to be some tax money in there… somewhere. (With Chicago being the city it is, it could use all the money it can get for development such as schools and public service like the Police and Fire Department. This is just wasteful money to put your city on display for a gambling chance of revenue)

And of course, don’t forget who’s backing this: Richard M. Daley. I mean, of all Olympic mayors, this is not your guy. Hell, of all Olympic cities, this is not your cleanest. Corruption runs deep through the veins of this city, and Mayor Daley is the mayor of heart town. It didn’t hurt that their former governor Rod Blagojevich was described as instrumental in acquiring funding. I mean, they don’t call it the Windy City for nothing. It’s so windy because of all the bull shit coming out of the politicians’ asses.

And if you’re the International Olympic Committee, don’t you want your Olympics to be hosted in a city where people actually want the games in the first place? In September, The Chicago Tribune released a poll that showed that 47% of residents supported the Olympics, while 45% did not. The other 8% said that they would just rather root for the Green Bay Packers. But with a city so divided about such an important event, then why would you want to have it there in the first place? Display your games where people are going to love it and be proud of it. People in Rio seem more than happy.

Rio was obvious. Their time zone is only one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. The American media and broadcasters will be well pleased. This would also be the first games in South America. Rio is beautiful, and what would you not like. Plus, the people in Rio seem to actually want the Olympics. So you’re welcome Rio. We didn’t deserve it anyway. And congratulations.

 

Note: The only good thing that Chicago got out of this whole event was a really sweet Olympic logo, and even that was rejected by the IOC. Suck!!