Name of Publication: Sporteconomy  Date of publication: 27.07.09  Roma09 –Chicago2016 on show at the World Swimming Championships  

The Chicago 2016 concept (in the photo the image of the official logo of the American bid) for the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics will offer a truly spectacular experience for athletes, the Olympic community, spectators, inhabitants and the watching global audience. Its Games project concentrates competition sites in the heart of Chicago, in the middle of cultural institutions, parks and restaurants, hotels and shops, all of international standing.  The Chicago 2016 Olympic project puts athletes at the heart of the offer. The Olympic Village will act as a central point for the Games, so that 90% of athletes will be within 15 minutes of their competition and training sites. Situated along the lakeside waterfront, the Village will allow athletes to enjoy Lake Michigan, the locations of the Olympic celebrations and the very heart of Chicago.  Chicago can boast some of the most enthusiastic sports fans worldwide. Every year more than eight million tickets are sold for sports events throughout Chicago. The enthusiasm of spectators from Chicago and from the area surrounding the location of the Games and the close proximity of the competition sites and the places to party means that the atmosphere outside the sports stadia will be just as electric as it is inside.  “The population of Chicago is one of our biggest strengths. The people of Chicago are not only some of the most passionate sports fans, but they are also among the most hospitable and welcoming people in the country”, said Patrick G. Ryan, President and CEO of Chicago 2016. “I’m excited by the idea of showing the world why Chicago is such a magnificent city.”  The offer also stands out for the solid support received from all levels of government, from the Chicago City Council to the White House. The concept of sustainability has been a feature of the whole plan and the very idea of Chicago 2016, using, where possible, pre-existing sites, making use of temporary structures for competitions, and locating almost all the competition venues within easy reach by public transport. The project has also focussed on the environment and economic feasibility, which puts it perfectly in line with the priorities of the Olympic Movement.  All the new permanent sites for Chicago 2016 have been designed with a view to the inheritance which will be passed on and at the end of the Games these structures will be used to support sports programmes for the young people of Chicago. Chicago 2016 and its organisers, keeping in mind the “heir”, World Sport Chicago, have developed the Urban Youth Sport Initiative as a means to promote sport and increase access to sports programmes throughout Chicago. The initiative uses sport as a means to involve young people in something positive and to develop their ability to get on in life, so as to enable them to overcome the challenges of living in the city. 

www.chicago2016.org

The leaders of the Organising Bid Committee for Chicago2016 (the next Olympics after London2012) will be present over the next few days in the "Roma09" Village to support the American swimming team. Sporteconomy.it can reveal the key highlights of this project which can count on the support of the Olympic multiple gold medallist Michael Phelps. (in the photo the CEO and President of the American Candidate City – Patrick G. Ryan)