Chicago’s Mayor Richard Daley is heading to Rio de Janeiro next month to mingle with International Olympic Committee (IOC) members at the Pan American Games, reports the Associated Press. Ethics rules limit contact between bid cities and IOC members, but Daley said the Pan Am games are a chance for him to interact with IOC members and to check out the competition. Chicago and Rio are among the cities bidding for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Visitors to this year’s Taste of Chicago food festival starting June 29 in Grant Park will be reminded of Chicago’s bid because of the addition this year of a sports-themed pavilion. A spokeswoman for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events said they were inspired by Chicago’s bid “but we were also thinking that Chicago is such a great city for sports”. Olympic gymnasts Bart Connor and Nadia Comaneci, along with Olympians Bonnie Blair and David Cruikshank are scheduled to appear, as are local athletes.
Chicago wants to step up its efforts to try and win the 2016 bid and will be discussing adding four extra harbours on Lake Michigan, including one with a helipad. The Chicago Parks District plans to take up the idea Wednesday, reports MSNBC.
