2016 Olympics: Decision on Friday

[Jennasis]

YAY Rio!

 

[Free4Life11]

I wonder what happens to all of the money that was donated chicago2016?

Maybe they will try for 2020? I still think it would be a great place to host the games. Too bad for Chicago I know they put a lot of work into it!

I'm sure it will be very nice in Rio, but being the Type-A person I am looking at the map gives me a headache LOL. I would totally get lost there. I've always loved Chicago's nice, simple grid system!

 

[tiberius]

I'm glad for Rio, which was my sentimental choice and the one of those 4 cities I would have most wanted to travel to in order to see the Olympics in person (not that I'll get to do it, but 2016 is a ways off...).
Although I am curious if Chicago ever had a real chance, since all the US media hype made it sound like a 2 way race Chicago and Rio, or if the US delegation hurt themselves at a late minute.
Maybe this clears the way for Orlando 2020!

 

[Jennasis]

While true, USA did host twice in 12 years.

I gotta say that I am rooting for Rio. Didn't realize that South America never had the games until I learned it on the DIS earlier this week.

Yes, I know. This is why (if you look at my earlier posts) you will see that I was rooting for Rio. A Chicago win would've been fine, but I was hoping the IOC would spread the wealth a bit more...and they did!

 

[mishasmom]

There are a few things that concern me about Rio. First of all they supposedly have a very high crime/murder rate and don't (yet) have the security in place needed for the Olympics. Also, the news this morning said they have almost NO venues or infrastructure in place to host the games. It looks like they are really going to have to get moving if they want to pull this off. But I do think it's cool they won since South America has never hosted the games.

 

[irish dancer]

I wonder what happens to all of the money that was donated chicago2016?

I think they said something on the local coverage that youth athletic programs in Chicago would benefit from some of the $$.

 

[NotUrsula]

I suspect that our draconian visa process will keep any US venue out of the running for the foreseeable future. 9/11 changed everything.

It is a major PITA to get a visa to visit the US if you are not eligible for a treaty waiver. Heck, it's a major ordeal just to apply for it if you don't live in a major city with a US Consulate. You see complaints about it even over on the UK board; it is a very expensive and cumbersome process to go through, and lots of issues can get the door slammed in your face, such as having a DUI somewhere in your past.

I think that the teams really don't want to deal with the expense and hassle involved, and they have probably let the committee members know it. It's normally easy enough to get the athletes in, but the athletes come with physicians and trainers and PR staff and families -- large numbers of people who all have to go through the process.

I'm glad Rio got it; they can really use an infusion of national pride and the money that comes with it. I am confused about one thing, though -- how do you hold a Summer Games in the middle of winter?

 

[crashbb]

I'm glad Rio got it; they can really use an infusion of national pride and the money that comes with it. I am confused about one thing, though -- how do you hold a Summer Games in the middle of winter?

Same way Australia did it. Didn't they have a slightly later than normal Olympic games (as in time of year)? Rio might do the same. Though, given it's location, I suspect that their "winter" will be as warm as some of our "summers".

 

[Chicago526]

I'm sad that we didn't get it, but if we had to lose I'm glad Rio got it. South America has never had the games and they deserve a chance at it.

 

[NotUrsula]

Same way Australia did it. Didn't they have a slightly later than normal Olympic games (as in time of year)? Rio might do the same. Though, given it's location, I suspect that their "winter" will be as warm as some of our "summers".

Yeah, I meant that as a joke really; but it has to be kind of funny for the locals to be hearing all the media calling it the Summer Games when it's winter.

The dates in the Rio proposal start the first week in August. It will be interesting to see if WDW gets a bigger than normal bump in Brazilian tourists that season, from people getting out of the area to avoid the traffic, etc.

 

[bubie2.5]

Athough I think our tipping policies have something to do with it haha.

 

[Doctor P]

What a total joke this whole thing was. IMHO, this is the beginning of the end of the Olympics. If the USOC and U.S. businesses had any guts, they would boycott bidding on the media contracts for these games. The IOC wants all the U.S. money and they treat things like a business only when it is convenient. To suggest for even a minute that Brazil, Spain, and Japan are somehow purer than the U.S. in terms of corruption is such revisionist history and so blind. I can't believe how angry this vote has made me. I can live with Rio winning, but the entire process is called into question with Chicago being eliminated in the first round. I have lost all excitement for the Olympic movement, a movement that I have embraced for my entire life.

 

[crashbb]

Yeah, I meant that as a joke really; but it has to be kind of funny for the locals to be hearing all the media calling it the Summer Games when it's winter.

I wasn't totally sure if you were joking or not. I overhead someone (who was very serious) saying it couldn't possibly go to Rio (this was yesterday) since it wouldn't be summer there and how could the outdoor events take place in the snow.

 

[lisajl]

There are a few things that concern me about Rio. First of all they supposedly have a very high crime/murder rate and don't (yet) have the security in place needed for the Olympics. Also, the news this morning said they have almost NO venues or infrastructure in place to host the games. It looks like they are really going to have to get moving if they want to pull this off. But I do think it's cool they won since South America has never hosted the games.

The first part of your post is exactly what I thought when they said Rio was inthe running. Good luck to people that are going there.
I wish it would have been Chicago, but understand a lot of Chicagoans did not want it.

 

[bubie2.5]

There are a few things that concern me about Rio. First of all they supposedly have a very high crime/murder rate and don't (yet) have the security in place needed for the Olympics. Also, the news this morning said they have almost NO venues or infrastructure in place to host the games. It looks like they are really going to have to get moving if they want to pull this off. But I do think it's cool they won since South America has never hosted the games.

Same here, there were a lot of things left unfinished for the Pan Am Games in 2007, but they do have a nice soccer stadium (nothing like the one China had, though). They have the Soccer World Cup in 2014 and have not started working on it yet. I'm happy for the cariocas, they're a lovely people, happy, friendly and gorgeous, BUT sentiments aside, of the four choices Rio was the bigger risk, hopes it pays off.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I am happy Chicago didn't win the bid because it gives Toronto a chance to bid for the 2020 games and if they do it would be the third time they bid for them, so you would think that would make them a favorite. Plus it would be 10 years since the Olympics in general were in North America, since Vancouver/Whistler are hosting the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 24 years since the Summer Olympics were in North America, with Atlanta hosting them in 1996.

 

[bubie2.5]

I am happy Chicago didn't win the bid because it gives Toronto a chance to bid for the 2020 games and if they do it would be the third time they bid for them, so you would think that would make them a favorite. Plus it would be 10 years since the Olympics in general were in North America, since Vancouver/Whistler are hosting the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 24 years since the Summer Olympics were in North America, with Atlanta hosting them in 1996.

Right now the Portuguese are thinking the same about Madrid. Funny how things work out for some and not for others.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Maybe it's not fair to use these numbers but maybe the IOC took this into consideration when voting. The United States hosted both the Summer Olympics with Atlanta in 1996 and Winter Olympics with Salt Lake City in 2002, which was a full 6 years between them and they don't usually return to the same country in a short period of time. I do realize in 2016 it will have been 14 years since the Olympics were last held in the United States, however it's the only reason I can think of at this time.

 

[Jennasis]

What a total joke this whole thing was. IMHO, this is the beginning of the end of the Olympics. If the USOC and U.S. businesses had any guts, they would boycott bidding on the media contracts for these games. The IOC wants all the U.S. money and they treat things like a business only when it is convenient. To suggest for even a minute that Brazil, Spain, and Japan are somehow purer than the U.S. in terms of corruption is such revisionist history and so blind. I can't believe how angry this vote has made me. I can live with Rio winning, but the entire process is called into question with Chicago being eliminated in the first round. I have lost all excitement for the Olympic movement, a movement that I have embraced for my entire life.

You seem angry. May I suggest, on behalf of all of the athletes who train their entire lives for a shot at the games, that you not boycott the Olympic movement...on their behalf.

Why punish the athletes (which is what the games are all about...the athletes) with your lack of supprrt or the US boycotting media coverage (like that would ever happen). If anything, they need the backing more than ever. Heck, look at Beijing. People were going to boycott watching because of civil rights violations by the government. But how devastating and disrespectful would that have been for the thousands of athletes who busted their tails to get there?

 

[FireDancer]

There are a few things that concern me about Rio. First of all they supposedly have a very high crime/murder rate and don't (yet) have the security in place needed for the Olympics. Also, the news this morning said they have almost NO venues or infrastructure in place to host the games. It looks like they are really going to have to get moving if they want to pull this off. But I do think it's cool they won since South America has never hosted the games.

Brazil has the World Cup in 2014 so many of the infrastructure issues and some of the venue issues will be resolved. In many ways the World Cup is harder to host than the Olympics because you have events spread throughout the country. South Africa has the World Cup next summer and since South Africa and Brazil are both countries that are hosting global sporting events for the first time what is learned next summer can be used by Brazil in 2014 and 2018.