Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was interrogated by local press today with respect to financial guarantees on the Olympic plans, especially the Olympic Stadium.
The Mayor side-stepped the issue.
“We are looking at many options with regards to the guarantees” Daley said. “We will make an announcement shortly.”
The venue plan includes a $366 million Olympic Stadium and a $1.1 billion lakefront Olympic Village, and it will all have to be financially guaranteed to appease International Olympic Committee evaluators should Chicago be chosen to represent the USOC.
The USOC will need some assurances that the stadium will be built both with respect to finances and zoning guarantees. New York’s bid for 2012 collapsed with days to go before the final vote when the promised stadium was no longer legally viable – embarassing the bid and the USOC.
“We will work as hard as humanly possible to get the games for the United States.” Mayor Daley concluded.
On the results of the USOC evaluation visit bid Chairman Pat Ryan said “We think we made a very pursuasive case. We believe we have a great story to tell the world and we’re anxious to tell that story. We believe profoundly that the Olympics are about the athletes and we have structured everything we’ve done with the athletes in mind We believe we are creating an environment where they will have an experience of a lifetime.”
The USOC will select from Chicago and Los Angeles on April 14 – the winner will compete internationally toward the final election in 2009.
