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The Chicago Olympic Bid took a large step forward when Chicago was named as one of four finalists in the competition to host the 2016 Olympic Games. I attended the rally held in Daley Plaza last Friday and it was fun to see the excitement around the event – both because of the Olympic Bid and because of Barack Obama’s appearance.

The Chicago Olympic Bid centers around the construction of a temporary stadium in Washington Park, which is located off of the Garfield Blvd Green Line Station. There has already been some controversy around this venue, as many people expect that the low-income residents whom live in the area will become victims of gentrification. I recently took the opportunity to visit Washington Park and take part in a Locative Storytelling tour, which offered audio commentary from many area residents about the possible impact of the Olympic Games.

While the Chicago Olympic Bid will continue to bring about many tough questions about money, land rights, government power and taxpayer rights, it’s my opinion that Chicago would see a great benefit from hosting the 2016 Olympic Games.

Many people want to look at Mayor Daley and judge that he runs Chicago with absolute power. Looking at his record, this is a hard thing to deny. While we might not always like his choices or agree with his tactics, I cannot deny his commitment to The City of Chicago. Yes there is some money floating around, but I tend to believe that his actions are targeted and building Chicago into a great and prosperous city.

The Olympic Host City will be named in October 2009 and if Chicago is chosen, we will see an era of growth and development that is unrivaled in our city’s history. The economic growth that would result from the eight years of preparation leading up to the Olympic Games would be explosive. Expansion of our transit system, improved city services, new and improved public facilities all over the city – these are just a few of the promises held by the Olympics.

For updated information about Chicago’s Olympic Bid, check back to Chicago Hot Blog or get updates emailed to your inbox. You can also checkout the official Chicago 2016 website.

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