MPC congratulates City of Chicago and Chicago 2016 for clearing latest hurdle
The votes are in,
and
the International Olympic
Committee
(IOC)
has
chosen
Chicago
to advance from Applicant City to Candidate
City in
the
process to host the
2016 Olympic Games. Chicago ranked third
on
the
short
list
of
four cities, behind Tokyo and Madrid;
and ahead of
Rio
de
Janeiro.
It is notable that London, which will host the 2012
Olympic Games, also ranked third during the Candidate City phase. At MPC’s 2007 Annual Meeting Luncheon, keynote
speaker the Rt. Hon. Tessa Jowell, MP, minister for the Olympics and London,
described the key to London’s winning approach. "Be very clear about what you
want to do afterwards," she said. "Keep thinking about what will happen beyond
17 days of sports." (Listen to Jowell's keynote speech
in its
entirety.)
Photo courtesy of Chicago 2016
Indeed, Chicago’s business, civic, foundation, and community leaders have
begun working with the city to determine what investments should be made to
maximize the positive impact the Games would have, and to identify how the
Games can accelerate much-needed infrastructure improvements and neighborhood
economic development.
MPC is urging state lawmakers to reauthorize a long-overdue state capital
investment plan to fund city, regional and state infrastructure improvements.
MPC has recommended that the state adopt a plan that includes adequate support
for public transportation and is based on objective
criteria for selecting projects that provide the biggest bang for the buck.
If the state does not have its plan approved prior to Feb. 12, 2009, when the
city must submit its final application to the IOC, the city cannot include
anticipated infrastructure improvements that would strengthen its bid.