Sochi Olympics Thread

[MarsupialMadness]

The threats vary in credibility, and the biggest one traces to the group Imarat Kavkaz in Russia, which has publicly said its followers will try to disrupt the games, the official said.

Private protection: The U.S. ski and snowboarding team has hired a private security firm, Global Rescue, to provide protection. It's not clear how much the firm could do in the event of a major incident, when Russian forces will be in charge, but it has been gathering intelligence on the ground and will provide an extra layer of protection as athletes travel around.  -- I imagine a task force lead by Liam Neeson and Jack Bauer

Ships for safety: Meanwhile, two U.S. Navy ships have steamed into the Black Sea, where they will be ready to help if any mass evacuation of U.S. citizens is needed. U.S. security officials have also been working with their Russian counterparts on how to keep the Games safe against the backdrop of a regional separatist movement that has used terrorism in the past and has threatened to use it during Sochi's Olympic Games.  -- could you imagine?

[hairy worthen]

According to who?

How do you even calculate something like that?

Exactly,

and I like the accuracy of 57% not 60% or 50%. 

[JWags85]

1994 made so much money because, outside of a few renovations like the Rose Bowl, the US already had infrastructure in place.  The WC should be in the US in 2022, but because of graft is going to be held in a country where it is too hot to play in the summer, where no quality stadiums existed when the bid was announced, and one projection is that *thousands* of workers will die.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/04/world-cup-2022-fifa-sepp-blatter-qatar-worker-deaths

And of course FIFA claims no responsibility.  It really is reprehensible. 

Sepp Blatter is an absolute joke and a repugnant human being.  Glad he signed on for a fifth f-ing term.  They are turning a blind eye cause, unlike Sochi, the infrastructure will likely be great and beautiful in Qatar when all is said and done cause there is a track record of architectural excellence and success with big budgets in the Middle East, unlike Russia.

Speaking of Russia, how lovely that after this cluster in Sochi, we get to go back in 4 years when they've graciously been awarded a World Cup.

The point about existing infrastructure is a good one.  When these massive structures are being created with the sole purpose of hosting the games, its going to be a mess cause there is no backfill plan to utilize most of them.  I could be wrong, but I believe London was set up much in the same way that Chicago would be, with existing infrastructure being used for as much as possible, so you'd think there wouldnt be as much trouble moving forward there,

[GGGG]

Yes, for instance the London Olympic Stadium is being renovated to be the new home for West Ham United. 

The Atlanta Olympics, for all snooty-nosed bullsh*t from IOC that they were "too commercial," actually made money and made great use of the infrastructure that was created.  Say what you want about Turner Field being considered obsolete 20 years later, but that isn't really an Olympics issue.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yea, if I remember correctly from the Chicago plans they were going to use McCormick place for almost all of the events such as lifting, ping pong and all of those other random little events. They had lake michigan for all of the rowing events. The only things they had to build was an olympic stadium which I believe would have been in Washington Park where they would have downsized it later for more conventional use, an aquatics center which I think was going to be in evanston and an Olympic villiage which was going to be on Northernly Island and later to be sold as regular apartments. Daley plaza was going to be the central hub with TVs and a central meeting place. Plus you have other places like soldier field that could be used.

[jesmu84]

Problem is, how do you allow countries to host who don't already have infrastructure in place? How does any country in Africa become a host?

Not saying they shouldn't host but...

[GGGG]

Problem is, how do you allow countries to host who don't already have infrastructure in place? How does any country in Africa become a host?

Not saying they shouldn't host but...

I'm saying they shouldn't host. 

There are all sorts of continental based events (African Cup of Nations, PanAm Games, etc.)...or smaller worldwide events (World University Games, FIFA Youth Cup, etc.)...that those countries are more suitable for hosting.  But the Olympics and the World Cup should be reserved for the countries that have the pieces in place.

[Tugg Speedman]

Keep in mind a large number of the venues in say Chicago already exist as opposed to something like Bejing.  Look at 1994 World Cup, US made a ton of money on that and it wasn't nearly as popular a sport as it is now.  Chicago actually could have done something with the majority of olympic venues after the fact.  Though I do think it's insane how there is an arms race to make everything the latest and greatest and basically a single purpose venue.

Besides if your a Keynesian that wasn't wasted money  

The Chicago bid called for a 100,000 seat stadium in Hyde Park.  That would have been used for the opening/closing ceremonies and Track & Field.  Half of billion wasted here.  (Sure they tried to say it was "temporary" and would be downsized to 12,000 afterwards for the University of Chicago.  The cost to build a permanent or temporary Olympic stadium is the same.  Downsizing it adds another $100 million.  Besides U of C already has a fairly new Stagg Stadium so they don't really need it.)

The Chicago bid called for a 15,000 seat outdoor tennis stadium at the Waveland Clock Tower.  Along with that was 30 more courts with one seating 5,000 and a few other seating well over 1,000.  What does Chicago do with a 15,000 seat outdoor tennis stadium?  Get a ATP/WTA tour stop?  Sure, what does it do with it the other 350 days of the year?

Chicago was going to spend $100 to $300 million building a massive breakfront on the Lake for the rowing events (they wanted the City in the background).  Good visual but would you rather they spend that money on the Brown Line?

Chicago was going to spend $100 re-making the Lincoln Park Lagoon into the whitewater rafting venue.  Another $50 million on the North Ave beach for Beach Volleyball and the Triathlon.  Oh, and $200 million on completely redoing Lake Shore Drive and city streets for the Triathlon and Marathon.

Finally they were going to build the multi-billion Olympic village around the former Micheal Reese Hospital.  They were arguing that these could be sold as Condos afterwards to make up for the cost.  This is an economically depressed area of Chicago and this was being sold as a renewal project.  

See London.  They did the same thing with their economically depressed East End and they lost their ass as nothing sold (their a reason its economically depressed, no one wants to live their and forcing a giant condo complex that was the former Olympic village is not going to change this.)

Also lets not forget this is Chicago.  In 2008 86 US Olympians won medals.  That is your over/under on arrests for bribery and corruption on a Chicago bid.  I would have taken the over.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Also lets not forget this is Chicago.  In 2008 86 US Olympians won medals.  That is your over/under on arrests for bribery and corruption on a Chicago bid.  I would have taken the over.

Thats really just unnecessary...You think the IOC is a clean system...please. Chicago far and away had the best plan of any  of the 4 cities and yet got tossed because of the idiots at the IOC. Now there is going to be a really interesting 3 weeks in Rio where I will take your over 86 except in violent crimes rather then corruption.

[Tugg Speedman]

Adding to my list above.  If Chicago won the bid, Wrigley and US Cell would have gotten the complete re-modeling for Women's Softball (and a push to reinstate baseball).  Soldiers Fields would have gotten $100+ million to bring it to FIFA standards for soccer.  So would have ND Stadium as they were also a soccer venue.

UIC pavilion would have been completely rebuilt for gymnastics.  McCormick Place would have been completely rebuilt for Boxing/Wrestling/Weight Lifting and shooting.

The West Side would have gotten a massive state of the art Aquatics center.  what they would have do with it afterwards I have no idea.

In the meantime we cannot get the potholes filled and are running out of Salt.  

[MarsupialMadness]

So happy Chicago didn't win the bid.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

See my view on it is I really dont care how much it would have cost, it would have been damn cool. I would have taken a hike in taxes just to be able to see the Olympics in my home city. I think thats what a lot of people forget. Just forget about the costs and planning. It would have been incredible to see what Chicago could have pulled off for the Olympics, and I would have been front and center. In fact, I still wear my "Chicago 2016 Candidate City" bracelet.

[MarsupialMadness]

See my view on it is I really dont care how much it would have cost, it would have been damn cool. I would have taken a hike in taxes just to be able to see the Olympics in my home city. I think thats what a lot of people forget. Just forget about the costs and planning. It would have been incredible to see what Chicago could have pulled off for the Olympics, and I would have been front and center.

My view is that it would have been a complete clusterfuck of people.  Traffic would be out of control, not just during the time the olympics would be here, but during the years of planning and construction it would take to make it happen. 

Not to mention security concerns.  Just look at the crap going on in Sochi.  What makes you think there wouldn't be just as big of a threat if they were held in Chicago?  I don't want to have to leave my briefcase at home because they won't let me take it on the blue line.... because they truly believe there is a significant threat that someone is about to blow up the blue line... no thanks.

And I don't know how many would agree with your view on not minding a hike in taxes just so we can "watch" the games in our own city.  Like Heisenberg said, there is plenty to focus on for the City of Chicago in the next 10 years, the Olympics should be the furthest from that discussion.

[Tugg Speedman]

Thats really just unnecessary...You think the IOC is a clean system...please. Chicago far and away had the best plan of any  of the 4 cities and yet got tossed because of the idiots at the IOC. Now there is going to be a really interesting 3 weeks in Rio where I will take your over 86 except in violent crimes rather then corruption.

So you think bringing up graft and corruption if Chicago got a bid was unnecessary?  Well this is what happened when because Chicago lost the bid (and it happened about a month after Chicago lost the bid).  Imagine how bad it would have been if Chicago won.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/us/18chicago.html?_r=0

Police Investigate Suicide of Chicago Schools Chief


The president of the Chicago Board of Education, who had served in a variety of prominent posts here over three decades, was found dead early Monday morning on the banks of the Chicago River, in what the medical examiner ruled a suicide.

The body of the 60-year-old official, Michael W. Scott, was discovered around 3 a.m. near the Merchandise Mart, a historic commercial center and office building downtown.

Mr. Scott died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the office of the Cook County medical examiner. A handgun was found under or near the body, said Jody Weis, the Chicago police superintendent.

...

He came under scrutiny this year for two local controversies. In August, he told reporters that he had received a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury investigating whether there had been improper preferential admissions to the city's top public schools.

Around the same time, news accounts concerning his role as a member of the Chicago 2016 Olympic Committee suggested that he had engaged in a conflict of interest by helping a group of ministers develop land near a proposed Olympic site. Later coverage said the committee had concluded that he had realized no financial gain from the project but should have told the committee about his involvement.

----------------------------------------------------

This is Chicago ... a connected Pol that tells "investors" he could use his clout to get prime real estate in Hyde Park that will go up multi-fold when Chicago wins the bid.  Chicago does not win the bid and he is found dead floating in the Chicago river of a "self-inflicted gunshot wound."

Are you the world's most naive person or would you like to revise you thought that 86 people arrested for bribery/graft/corruption was low?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

My view is that it would have been a complete clusterunnatural carnal knowledge of people.  Traffic would be out of control, not just during the time the olympics would be here, but during the years of planning and construction it would take to make it happen. 

Not to mention security concerns.  Just look at the crap going on in Sochi.  What makes you think there wouldn't be just as big of a threat if they were held in Chicago?  I don't want to have to leave my briefcase at home because they won't let me take it on the blue line.... because they truly believe there is a significant threat that someone is about to blow up the blue line... no thanks.

And I don't know how many would agree with your view on not minding a hike in taxes just so we can "watch" the games in our own city.  Like Heisenberg said, there is plenty to focus on for the City of Chicago in the next 10 years, the Olympics should be the furthest from that discussion.

Difference of opinions then. Honestly, I would have given up so much more then money to have the olympics here. I was in high school at the time and organized a "we back the bid" video for our school. Its just one of those things I was really involved in despite the fact I was only a high schooler. Just one of those things that I really felt strongly about.

[Tugg Speedman]

Difference of opinions then. Honestly, I would have given up so much more then money to have the olympics here. I was in high school at the time and organized a "we back the bid" video for our school. Its just one of those things I was really involved in despite the fact I was only a high schooler. Just one of those things that I really felt strongly about.

Why don't you spend $25,000 to go to Rio in 2016 instead?  That is what it would have cost each resident of Chicago had we won the bid.

[Coleman]

See my view on it is I really dont care how much it would have cost, it would have been damn cool. I would have taken a hike in taxes just to be able to see the Olympics in my home city. I think thats what a lot of people forget. Just forget about the costs and planning. It would have been incredible to see what Chicago could have pulled off for the Olympics, and I would have been front and center. In fact, I still wear my "Chicago 2016 Candidate City" bracelet.

Not to be a total dick but how much would a Chicago tax hike really impact you? You are a college student in Milwaukee, no?

As a working, taxpaying resident of Chicago, I, and most of us living here, are relieved we didn't get the bid just to stroke former mayor Daley's ego. I refuse to forget about costs and planning when they would have a major impact on my pocketbook, not to mention my commute. Its not monopoly money anymore once you graduate.

And I am someone who considers myself a liberal and is happy to pay taxes when they are used for the common good and a strong social safety net.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Not to be a total dick but how much would a Chicago tax hike really impact you? You are a college student in Milwaukee, no?

As a working, taxpaying resident of Chicago, I, and most of us living here, are relieved we didn't get the bid just to stroke former mayor Daley's ego.

Wouldnt have affected me at all but my parents who are both tax paying citizens of Chicago were completely pro-olympics. Consider the fact that they are both CPS teachers there not really a whole lot of money that we can just throw away. I feel like you are all in the minority because all of the people I talked to were VERY Pro-Olympics.

[GGGG]

Wouldnt have affected me at all but my parents who are both tax paying citizens of Chicago were completely pro-olympics. Consider the fact that they are both CPS teachers there not really a whole lot of money that we can just throw away. I feel like you are all in the minority because all of the people I talked to were VERY Pro-Olympics.

Didn't we address this in another thread?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Didn't we address this in another thread?

Not to get into that too much but the numbers lie. Trust me.

[MarsupialMadness]

Wouldnt have affected me at all but my parents who are both tax paying citizens of Chicago were completely pro-olympics. Consider the fact that they are both CPS teachers there not really a whole lot of money that we can just throw away. I feel like you are all in the minority because all of the people I talked to were VERY Pro-Olympics.

I don't know many working adults who reside in Chicago that were ever pro-Olympic bid in Chicago.  Perhaps we come from a different part of town.

[mu03eng]

I'm saying they shouldn't host. 

There are all sorts of continental based events (African Cup of Nations, PanAm Games, etc.)...or smaller worldwide events (World University Games, FIFA Youth Cup, etc.)...that those countries are more suitable for hosting.  But the Olympics and the World Cup should be reserved for the countries that have the pieces in place.

And they should earn it....gives them something to aspire to.  If I want to host the olympics I should have infrastructure in place before even attempting something.

[MerrittsMustache]

Wouldnt have affected me at all but my parents who are both tax paying citizens of Chicago were completely pro-olympics. Consider the fact that they are both CPS teachers there not really a whole lot of money that we can just throw away. I feel like you are all in the minority because all of the people I talked to were VERY Pro-Olympics.

If I was a high schooler, I too would have found it "damn cool" for Chicago to host to Olympics because, as you said, it wouldn't have affected by daily life all that much. That said, I don't know any adults who were even remotely excited about the prospects of Chicago hosting the Olympics.


EDIT: Removed the first part of my post. Don't want to turn this into a teacher debate.

[ChicosBailBonds]

See my view on it is I really dont care how much it would have cost, it would have been damn cool. I would have taken a hike in taxes just to be able to see the Olympics in my home city. I think thats what a lot of people forget. Just forget about the costs and planning. It would have been incredible to see what Chicago could have pulled off for the Olympics, and I would have been front and center. In fact, I still wear my "Chicago 2016 Candidate City" bracelet.

That not caring attitude is what has us $17 trillion in debt...and policies that kick the can down the road time and time again.

All too often those that don't care how much it costs are also not the ones that seem to pay the smallest portion as well.  It's easy to ask for goodies when the most of the payment of the goodies is covered by someone else....be it the rich, out of town visitors, people buying cigarettes, etc.  Someone is paying

Edit to fix sentence

[brandx]

Not to get into that too much but the numbers lie. Trust me.

Hey, no way!!! Bill Gates and I have an average net worth of $33.5 Billion dollars.

I'm rich!!! I'm rich!!!