Live From Copenhagen

We spare no expense to update Chicago on what we’re doing! Seriously, Copenhagen has been flooded with police, security and Secret Service agents. Everyone here is excited about Oprah, Michelle Obama or Pele. We still like to think that our presence is making a difference…

Here is what we delivered to the IOC in Copenhagen:




No Games Chicago has sent the same team who went to Switzerland In June to meet with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to Copenhagen to do it again.

We arrive in Copenhagen!

Our purpose then and now is to take a simple message to the members of the IOC – the people of Chicago do not want the 2016 Olympics. 84% of them, according to a recent poll conducted by the Chicago Tribune. 45% don’t want the games under any circumstances and 84% don’t want public funds used for the party. Since the city has already spent or committed over $240 million for the games (see our tally below), that threshold has already been crossed.

Hence 84% of the people of Chicago oppose the bringing of the 2016 Olympics to Chicago, That’s a big number, too big to be ignored.

We didn’t come on a chartered jet and we’re not wearing clothes designed by the First Lady’s dress maker. No TV crews saw us off and none will welcome us back. We did grassroots fund raising up the last moment to pay for the trip.

When we went to Switzerland in June we took 100 copies of our “Book of Evidence” (download your very own copy – 12MB PDF file) that laid out our arguments as to why Chicago would not be an ideal host for the 2016 Olypics. Each of these arguments has been strengthened by developments since then.

We’re well armed with new evidence.

Will the arrival of President Obama blind them to the defects in Chicago’s bid and the angry mood of the people who feel abandoned by their government?

Will the press continue to fawn over the bid team and repeat their spin as gospel?

Stand by for further details.

Coverage of the delegation

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$243 MILLION AND COUNTING…

$86 million for purchase of Michael Reese Hospital site. Lori Healey has said the purchase of the site has nothing to do with the bid, But at the 2016 community meeting at the Palmer House on August XX Pat Ryan was quizzed by a No Games member and he revealed that they approached the city when their plans for siting the athlete’s village over rail tracks proved too expensive.

$11 million for demolition of the site.

$1 million for securing the site.

Unkown millions for cleaning up site (medical waste)

$110 million for improving the site.

$35 million from the Chicago Park District for the construction of the velodrome and kayaking course.

But wait, there’s more…

$12 million in lost revenues from 1,600 boat slips taken off line for three seasons.

$1 billion (probably much more) for security.

Unknown cost for destroying acres of priceless park land and making them unavailable to Chicagoans for years.

And if there are significant shortfalls or cost overruns, $500 million from the city and $250 million from the state (plus another $250 million for downstate porl projects to mollify the non-Chicago legislators.

Lawsuit filed on October 1, 2009 by Designs for Change!

11 Commments

  1. Olympics are huge boondoggle. I had no idea boondoggles like this were still allowed except in backwater banana republics. Or China. They’ve got too big. A party of international athletes competing in goodwill, etc, would be fine maybe. But kicking people out of their homes or throwing them in jail for opposition (I’m looking at you, China), I wonder how IOC members sleep at night. IOC cooperates better with fascists anyway. They get their gleaming sport palaces, no questions asked. Only the best for precious, precious athletes and corporate sponsors. Yeah, the “lucky” 2016 host can also look forward to a games environment about as unique as the inside of a mall, fenced up and parceled out by McD, GE, Coke, etc. Seriously, if you don’t want a McD hamburger, _there will be nothing to eat at the Olympics_!! Deep dish pizza vendors, don’t think you’re gonna get a spot at Chi 2016. Cause you’re not.

  2. Chicago is so broke they are laying off workers and selling off assets to private companies.

    Please IOC, give it to Rio. they deserve it and their credit must be better than Chicago’s.

    Hannah Frisch, Chicago IL

  3. Wow! Congradulations. Please let the IOC
    know that Chicago’s leader needs to first solve
    the problems they caused with teen violence
    before they can have play time in the park.
    Don’t reward failed leaders for bad behavior.
    They need to return to the class room and learn
    how to make, create and live in peace.
    I hope we can organize a fundraiser when you
    return to help with expenses.

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