If you’ve been to the 2016 community meetings as No Games Chicago has – you’ll recall hearing the claim that no taxpayer money has been or will be spent on the games. No Games has challenged that claim repeatedly – wondering how they keep failing to include the almost $200 million for the purchase, demo, …
The Civic Federation’s report looking at the finances of the 2016 Committee is out. No Games is going over it page by page and from what we’ve seen so far – despite being full of conflicts of interest and unchallenged assumptions, it raises new alarms for the people of Chicago. It seems that local news …
Chicago, are you ready to be ruled by the IOC from Switzerland for seven years? No kidding. The Host City Contract includes language on making local laws subservient to the IOC Charter and Swiss law. As reported in the Vancouver Sun: Contract binds Vancouver to play by IOC rules or not play at Elites of …
The mayor had another rough night meeting the public Tuesday at the South Shore Cultural Center. Here’s a gem from WBEZ’s coverage of the hearing. “The mayor didn’t answer that – or most – questions directly, instead asking his staff to meet people individually. A handful of speakers brought up the city’s 2016 Olympic bid …
As reported in Progress Illinois and WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight”: This month, Tribune business columnist David Greising has written two pieces urging more disclosure on the part of Chicago’s Olympic bid committee and, in doing so, spurred a lengthy editorial from his paper on the topic. On Friday, he appeared on Chicago Tonight’s “Week in Review” …
As reported in today’s Crain’s Chicago Business: Chicago’s business weekly dumps cold water on the over-inflated and unsupported claims of Olympic economic benefits. As noted local economist Allen Sanderson says, “It’s a party, not an economic investment.” Watch the Crain’s Chicago video news report. Mayor Richard M. Daley’s prediction that the 2016 Olympics would give …
As reported in the Chicago Sun-Times: As it has at times in recent weeks, a community meeting about Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics soon veered off into a heated discussion about other things. Affordable housing. Jobs. Crime. An upset Mark Carter, 35, stood in the audience and demanded that Mayor Daley’s Olympic …
As reported by ESPN.com: From Berlin – Patrick Ryan has traveled tens of thousands of miles, crisscrossed time zones and wandered through countless hotel lobbies — all in search of support for Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics. With six weeks before the International Olympic Committee vote in Copenhagen on Oct. 2, Ryan and leaders …
National Taxpayers United of Illinois issued this statement today: Without liability protection, a Chicago 2016 Olympics will put Illinois taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars, according to the president of Illinois’ largest taxpayer organization. “Chicago submitted its bid details to the International Olympic Committee in February ballyhooing its financial strength, with organizers saying …
Thanks to our friends at Chicago Clout… And the song has already made news! Sing Along: Same ol’ names makin’ headlines Same ol’ crew stealin’ from the kitty Slitherin’ snakes through departments of our city Mayor Richie Daley tells us wrong from right It’s hard to do when he’s on the next flight He’s hangin’ …