Athlete-focused proposal and waterfront views impress USOC, but funding questions remain

The U.S. Olympic Committee toured prospective Olympic venues Wednesday, including McCormick Place, Northerly Island, and Washington Park, the proposed site of an 80,000-person Olympic Stadium.

"We are very impressed with the possibilities that this city holds for the Games and the Olympic movement," said U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Jim Scherr. "With the showcase of the waterfront experience, this could be an incredible Games, offering a legacy not only to the athlete, but to the world."

The USOC has now met with representatives from both Los Angeles and Chicago to review each city's proposal. They will announce April 14 which city has been selected to enter the rigorous international selection process.

"We've just crossed our most important milestone to date," said U.S. Olympic Committee Vice President International Bob Ctvrtlik, regarding the visits to Los Angeles and Chicago. "I can confidently say the USOC is in a win-win situation."

The USOC began their Chicago visit March 6 with a full day of meetings with the Chicago 2016 committee. Both Chicago and Los Angeles will have until March 31 to present new data to the USOC. Neither the USOC nor Chicago 2016 commented on what questions remain to be answered regarding the Chicago plan.

Chicago's proposal includes the construction of an 80,000-capacity Olympic stadium in Washington Park (estimated cost: $366 million) and an Olympic Village ($1.1 billion) along the south lakefront. Existing venues such as the McCormick Place, United Center and Soldier Field will also be utilized.

Mayor Daley, USOC members and Chicago 2016 representatives took a hybrid CTA bus tour of venue sites on March 7. The tour began at McCormick place, which would host 11 sports and house the international broadcast center and main press center. Representatives then went to the 33rd floor of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place to view the proposed Olympic Village site along the south lakefront, which had been marked off by large orange balloons.

Next, the bus took Martin Luther King Blvd. to the Washington Park fields, the site of a proposed 80,000-seat Olympic stadium. Flags from every country participating in the Olympics marked the proposed stadium site.

The bus traveled up Stony Island Ave. and Lakeshore Drive to Northerly Island, where BMX, volleyball and track cycling would compete. The tour made a final stop at the rowing course in Lincoln Park.

Ctvrtlik said he was most impressed with three specific aspects of the 2016 plan. First, the utilization of the waterfront "is a tremendous asset for the city," he said. Second, that the plan is focused on the athlete, with 88 percent of Olympic athletes to live within short proximity to their competition location. Finally, Ctvrtlik added that Chicago "is a city that can get things done."

"We believe profoundly that the Olympics are about the athlete, and we have structured everything we have done around creating an environment where the athletes will be able to perform at their highest level," said Patrick Ryan, chairman and CEO of Chicago 2016. "Our compact venues are really sensitive to the athlete."

Chicago will have to present a funding guarantee to USOC members by March 31. Mayor Daley has previously promised that no public funds would be used in the Olympic project, however, he dodged questions from reporters on Wednesday.

"We are presently working on the guarantee, both with public and private" funding sources, Daley said. "We'll come up with a plan shortly."

The final United States bid decision will be made on April 14.

For more information, visit www.chicago2016.org