"The 2016 Olympic Bid One Year Later - What We Should've Learned"

Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics was shot down on October 2, 2009. What did we learn from the bid process? What did the bid tell us about Chicago politics and competing visions for economic progress? One year after that decision, Tom Tresser, one of the lead organizers for No Games Chicago (www.nogameschicago.org) will reveal behind-the-scenes details of why activists from around the city came together to derail the bid, what happened when they went to the IOC's World HQ in Switzerland and what happened when they went to Copenhagen.

Where were they when it mattered? NoGamesChicago has a couple of neat little stories about those who become wise after the event. First, there was the American Planning Association whose magazine, in February 2010, discovered “Unfortunately, hosting the Games gets no medals as an urban development strategy. Host efforts tend to be over promised and underfunded, and seldom achieve the goals local organizers set out.”

Tom Tresser - (Tom is an educator, organizer and consultant in Chicago's creative community.)

[ Note -- I was one of the three No Games Chicago delegates who travelled to Copenhagen last week to deliver materials and messages to the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)]

nogameschicago reports:

City and 2016 Destroy Parks – It’s Just the Start, Folks

August 4, 2009

As reported on the Save Michael Reese Hospital web site:

By Andrew Jennings, Sunday 21 June, 2009

Swiss bagman Jean-Marie Weber who admitted in court last year that he paid $100 million in kickbacks to sports officials in return for lucrative marketing contracts was at it again in Lausanne last week, schmoozing wannabee Olympic 2016 hosts Chicago, Rio, Madrid and Tokyo.

By Tom Tresser

I live in Lincoln Park and have been working in the arts, local economic development and civic engagement in Chicago since 1980. In 1993 I went to work for Peoples Housing, a grass roots community development organization in east Rogers Park that developed and maintained low income housing. I organized a community arts program that combined culture, education and micro-enterprise.

As reported by Crain’s Chicago Business reporter, Greg Hinz:

Olympic chief admits errors, but promises full disclosure

Perhaps while watching yesterday's breaking news regarding the arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich you said to yourself, "Surely Chicago politics couldn't get more absurd." Well, try this one on for size.