Make Olympic effort a bid for change
The stars didn't align for Chicago's bid.
Nor did the star power. The dream delegation sent to Copenhagen with Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid was unprecedented in U.S. history. Despite their effort, the prize went to Rio de Janeiro.
The stunning first-round ousting of Chicago's bid has reverberated through the region. The suburbs, which were largely sidelined through the bidding process, have seen an assortment of reactions. Some residents feel they've dodged two weeks of gridlock during that August. Others are relieved the financial risks melted away.
Still others lost hope for economy-boosting construction and international visitors.
Aurora and St. Charles already had signed on with a consultant on how best to attract Olympic crowds to their area. The Northwest suburbs will forgo an estimated $50 million windfall from brimming hotels and bustling restaurants. The area's mass transit will do without an infusion of federal funds that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hinted at just last month.
And dollar signs have left the eyes of homeowners already planning to rent out their places.
One can only speculate why Chicago was voted out. Perhaps it was the publicity of the violent beatings of two youths in the days leading up to the vote. Or maybe it was simple politics, bloc voting that left Chicago no chance. Or anti-American sentiment. Or - perish the thought - IOC members skeptical that Chicago could pull off a corruption-free games.
Though it might not have turned the vote, we believe a more regional effort was warranted. The plan's only suburban competition sites were Tempel Farms in Wadsworth for equestrian events and Evanston for track and field. Crystal Lake had been shut out of the rowing event in favor of the unpredictable Lake Michigan. A Sugar Grove-based gun club had been an early favorite for the shooting venue. Biking events were planned for Madison, a more than two-hour ride from the lakefront. Certainly the committee could have found a site closer to Chicago.
Chances appear slim that the city will rebid for 2020; if it happens, however, suburban Chicago should seek a larger role. Everyone, from the inner-ring suburbs to Antioch, Pingree Grove or Elburn, would feel its effects - and all could contribute.
Though the bid failed, Chicago's three-year campaign offers all of us a lesson and an opportunity to make things better. Let's repair the flaws in our region brought into focus through the process. Shore up the weaknesses and fill in the gaps of mass transit. Take aim at the roots of crime in both the city and suburbs. Make transparency a top priority.
Hold our leaders to a high standard of ethics.
Those who wanted the Olympics in Chicago and those who opposed them expended a lot of energy. Now is our chance to redirect that spirit and address these problems in earnest.