Olympic Games 2016

Construction, thy name is Olympics. Those who remember the last-minute dash in Athens in 2004 and recent visitors to 2008 host city Beijing might think that the five Olympic rings represent cranes, forklifts, hard hats, power tools and nuts and bolts. That, thankfully, won't be an area of concern should the Summer Olympics land in Los Angeles for a third time, down the road in 2016.

The crowd came for a party. Wearing orange 2016 T-shirts, an estimated 10,000 people filled Daley Plaza in the heart of the city with chants of "Chi-ca-go! Chi-ca-go!" Then the announcement stunned them into silence. Chicago -- the city expected to compete mightily with Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Games -- had been knocked out in the first round of voting. "I am dumbfounded; utterly speechless," said David Long, who moments before had predicted victory. "I have no clue what just happened."

My cup of excitement runneth over for the 2016 Chicago Olympics. Finally, something in the Olympic movement makes sense. To hell with fiscally responsible Games, the kind the Los Angeles committee was proposing. To hell with hesitating over paying billions for dozens of new structures, which, in the case of many Olympics, end up as pawn shops and places with sheets hanging from the windows. How stupid to go back to the same old sports venues.

For those arguing that President Obama is neglecting important work by flying to Denmark in support of Chicago's Olympics bid, the White House has settled on an answer: You don't think America should host the Olympics? A White House aide trotted out that argument against Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond of Missouri, who said this week that the president should stay put and consult his generals about the state of the war in Afghanistan. "What does Sen. Bond have against the Olympics coming to America?"

Los Angeles organizers say they will announce plans today to bid for the 2016 Olympics, a campaign that, if successful, would give the city its third Summer Games and the United States its first in 20 years. Los Angeles was the scene of the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984; no other U.S. city has served as host more than once.

A multilayered package of financial guarantees designed to satisfy demands of the U.S. Olympic Committee was unveiled Friday in Chicago by city officials alongside leaders of the city's bid for the 2016 Summer Games. Worst-case financial scenario for Chicago: $500 million.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair may have revolutionized the Olympic bid process by lobbying intently for London in its successful quest to play host to the 2012 Games. Now, with the U.S. Olympic Committee weighing a 2016 bid and Los Angeles among five American cities under consideration, the game plan that delivered the Games to London a year ago Thursday has become a template -- and challenge -- for U.S. officials. Traditionally, U.S.

Remember Peter Ueberroth, the man who pulled the Olympic movement up by its bootstraps in 1984 by organizing a Los Angeles Olympics that had us all beaming like members of the chamber of commerce? Well, he is back in the middle of the Olympic movement, still pulling on bootstraps. Ueberroth, 68 now, is chief executive of the United States Olympic Committee and is in the catbird seat for much of the decision-making that could set the course for the Games of 2016.

Arnold, unveiled. The Los Angeles bid committee for the 2016 Summer Olympics brought Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on board to make it a statewide campaign, and he vowed Friday to do whatever it takes to land the Games here for a third time. "I don't think we have a specific program yet laid out of what I need to do," he said, still using crutches as he recovers from a skiing accident in late December. "But as I made it clear, whatever it is, I will do everything. I will fly anywhere....

The U.S. Olympic Committee announced Wednesday it intends to visit five cities, including Los Angeles, as it gauges whether to launch a bid for the 2016 Games. Houston is due for a visit on May 8; Philadelphia on May 9; Chicago on May 10, and L.A. and San Francisco on May 18. New York, the failed U.S. bid for the 2012 Games, which the International Olympic Committee awarded last year to London, is not on the list. It is out of the running for 2016. The IOC is due to pick the 2016 site in 2009.

Putting his political prestige on the line, President Obama has decided to fly to Denmark this week to appeal to the International Olympic Committee to choose Chicago, his adopted hometown, as host of the 2016 Games. The White House announced Monday that Obama would arrive in Copenhagen on Friday, just before Chicago makes its formal presentation to Olympics officials who are also considering Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro. A decision is expected later that day, within hours of Obama's appearance.

President Obama is dispatching an advance team to Copenhagen to pave the way for a possible personal appearance before the International Olympic Committee next month. The decision doesn't necessarily mean Obama will be able to make an in-person appeal for his adopted hometown of Chicago, which is bidding to host the Olympics in 2016, a senior advisor to the president said Saturday. But the president wants to make sure he has the option to go, in case he can get away from healthcare discussions to make the trip.

Thousands of spectators cheered Olympic medalists Michael Phelps, Dara Torres and Kobe Bryant on Wednesday as the city of Chicago got a high-profile boost to its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Oprah Winfrey was taping the season premiere for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" at a downtown park, and she invited 150 U.S. Olympic athletes to join her. The athletes were introduced under a shower of red, white and blue confetti. Winfrey intends the show to be both a welcome home for athletes who competed in Beijing and also a chance to showcase Chicago as the city bids for the 2016 Games, said Harpo Productions.

ATHENS -- A leading International Olympic Committee official heated up the war of words over the United States' portion of Olympic revenues Tuesday, and the escalation of rhetoric could burn Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Games. IOC member Hein Verbruggen of the Netherlands called the U.S. Olympic Committee's share an "immoral amount of money compared to what other people get."

My cup of excitement runneth over for the 2016 Chicago Olympics. Finally, something in the Olympic movement makes sense. To hell with fiscally responsible Games, the kind the Los Angeles committee was proposing. To hell with hesitating over paying billions for dozens of new structures, which, in the case of many Olympics, end up as pawn shops and places with sheets hanging from the windows. How stupid to go back to the same old sports venues.

Peter Ueberroth tore open the white, business-sized envelope and silently read the slip of paper it contained. His eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. Probably without realizing it, he glanced twice to his left. Leaders of the group that had hoped to secure the 2016 Summer Olympics for Los Angeles were seated to his right. They knew they weren't about to get good news.

Last week, it was fortune cookies passed out on the Blue Line by L.A. Olympic bid officials with the fortune saying, "Los Angeles 2016: Where the world comes together." Here, it was a worker at the taxi stand at O'Hare International Airport, wearing the button pinned on a jacket: Chicago 2016. Details, big and small, all to promote the respective bids for the 2016 Summer Games during visits by a United States Olympic Committee evaluation team.

Peter Ueberroth tore open the white, business-sized envelope and silently read the slip of paper it contained. His eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. Probably without realizing it, he glanced twice to his left. Leaders of the group that had hoped to secure the 2016 Summer Olympics for Los Angeles were seated to his right. They knew they weren't about to get good news.

Chicago's transformation from nonentity on the international Olympic stage a year ago to possible host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics was affirmed by a close U.S. Olympic Committee vote here on Saturday. The board opted for the enthusiasm and fresh approach of Chicago, which has never hosted an Olympics, over the experienced hand of Los Angeles, attempting to present the Summer Games for a third time in a span of 84 years. USOC Chairman Peter V.

At the 11th hour, it all comes down to one hour. The long-and-winding campaign between Chicago and Los Angeles for the U.S. bid city for the 2016 Summer Games will be decided here today by the 11-member U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors following presentations by the finalists and question-and-answer sessions. Chicago is up first, and Los Angeles is second. The presentation portion for each group is scheduled to last 40 minutes with 20 minutes allowed for questions from the panel.