Chicago Olympics Bid Questioned

But With High Crime Rate and Financial Problems, Even Some Residents Think City is a Bad Choice

(CBS)  With more than 3 million residents, Chicago is bustling. A big-shouldered metropolis where it's felt the summer Olympics would be right at home, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.

"We know that we have an opportunity to really showcase Chicago," said Mayor Richard Daley. "We know we can deliver a spectacular Olympic and Paralympics games."

Chicago has a lot going for it - the President of the United States is its chief cheerleader. Lake Michigan is its breath-taking backdrop, and many Olympic venues here are already built. No wonder boosters argue that the games and Chicago will be good for each other.

"We're talking about creating jobs," said Arnold Randall, the director of the Neighborhood Legacy for Chicago. "We're talking about all sorts of opportunities for local residents. Now is exactly the time to want to do something like this."

Chicago understandably is showing its best side to the International Olympic Committee. But there are other less attractive points to be made about the town.

Meet the 2016 Olympic City Contenders
2016 Olympics: Chicagoans Split on Games
2016 Olympics' First Event - Lobbying
Obama's Olympic Pitch Draws GOP Complaint
Tokyo Pitches a "Green Olympics"

Obama to Front Chicago's Olympics Bid
Rio's 2016 Olympic Bid Gets Boost

Chicago has a chronic problem with violence, especially teen violence. And while its murder rate is still half of Rio de Janeiro's, it is well ahead of Madrid or Tokyo, the other Olympic competitors.

Thirty-four public school students were murdered here in the last year - four have been killed this month. And just last week, came a beating death of a 16-year-old honor student on the South Side, murdered apparently because he refused to join a gang.

"Our president and our mayor and our governor is over in Copenhagen - in Denmark - when right here we got savagery going on in the streets of Chicago," said Shawn Gaudin, a concerned parent in Chicago.

Critics ask how Chicago can even begin to think about hosting a $4.8 billion event when it is currently running a $300 million deficit and has had to close down city hall for a day just to save money. They question the city's priorities.

"The state and city were able to find money for Olympics but when it came to actual basic services to make peoples' lives better, there's no money to be found," said Bob Quellos, the president of No Games Chicago.

Others are skeptical about the plan to privately finance the games, one that could always get more expensive as many projects here do.

"You throw in the Chicago way, which says something between cost overruns, corruption, political connections and you're just asking for trouble," said Allen Sanderson, with the economics department at the University of Chicago.

Still, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Salt Lake City staged successful games that made money and benefitted their communities. Those who would bring the Olympic Games here believe Chicago can do at least as well.

[PatriotDG]

More us soldiers have died in Afghanistan today while the
President was off campaigning for his left wing base to bring the
Olympics to Chicago. His commander on the ground told him what
was need in Aug. to win. Why is he not doing his job to support
the troops and our security?

[arbzzz]

Are the tours of Chicago during the Olympics going to show the street where the young boy was killed last week?
Are any Olympic venues going to be on the South Side?

[mikevetman]

With the economy the way it is, and Chicago being a heavily union city, where will the money come from to build facilities that will cost 3-4 times more in that area than other parts of the US. they will not be happy to use the old facilities. No one can compete with the chineese show.
Obama is not the mayor of chicago or governor of IL. why is he involved anyway. Looking for another notch for his bet post. I hope this goes by way of Healthcare and cap and trade. GOT TO KEEP THE UNION PEOPLE BUSY. THEY PUT HIM IN OFFICE.

[troopf4]

To bajaohn1; I'm a democrat and I will tell you we have a public option and it's called Medicaid. No income, low income and disabled people are linked to Medicaid. Now all Obama has to do is raise the income limits and resource levels and guess what: Everyone would be eligible except for middle income working people that have insurance thru their employer - when they lose their jobs they go to the nearest welfare office and apply for Medicaid if they can't afford the COBRA premium. 85% of people with insurance are happy with their plans. Mass. has for years covered single and married people with no children under Medicaid. It had been that way for years in California - the Medicaid rules changed and only newborns thru the age of 18 or 19 if still in high school. Single/divorced mothers or fathers can get medicaid if they have a child in the home with an absent parent. A primary wage earner that is laid off, usually the dad can get Medicaid for himself and the mother if they have a child..
We don't need to spend 10 billion dollars a year when we have a government health program. The scary part is: Medicaid and Medicare are both going broke and they are run by the government....Any state can apply for a waiver and include adults with no children to be linked to Medicaid. The problem is the average american does not know what is and has been in place for years. By the way, Obama has a back door deal worked out with a drug company to be the primary supplier of medications under the new reform after the company pledged 80 Billion dollars - what's wrong with that picture - closed to fair competion for other drug companies. Before you buy into everything Obama wants and Pelosi pushes you might want to do some research and look at the deomcrats that are opposed to the plan..Just a thought.
I was a Medicaid Case worker for 16 years and a Medicaid/Medicare Consultant for 6 years. The one thing that sticks out the most is: Obama and company want illegal aliens to be covered. I say, there shouldn't even be a discussion: Uphold our Federal laws re Immigration , deport all of them and let them apply for legal residence just as the law states. I have no problem with legal aliens receiving benefits hense the "legal" status.
Update re Obama's aunt, by blood, is back in Low Income Housing in Boston and court date set for Feb 2010 re her not leaving the US 4 1/2 years ago after being orderd by a federal court for being in the US illegally.By the way, illegal aliens are not entitled to Low Income Housing. Get the picture: No one in power is enforcing laws and regulations and people wonder why the youth of today have gone wild - hell - look at the examples that are being set...

[JayAdlerMusic]

I am not going to offer any comment on Chicago hosting the Olympics but I will go on the record and offer that any one of our 5 billion global residents including some reindeer herder in Outer Mongolia would rather be checking out the Girls From Ipanema and swimming in the ocean, getting a tan and and having wonderful cocktails in Rio.How is it that I am seeing and getting more advice from Senator John McCain, every night on television and he lost. I am in a state of mind with respect to the direction this country is going that I am so accepting and lack wonderment of all the countless quirky and sardonic suggestions and events that we all are witnessing now lacking any precedent. I am actually starting to admire a MSM that is really perking up and performing like the reporters they really can be. As far as this particular account which reminds of a Ray Bloch sci fi paperback, I would let these things go wherever they arrive. That's because there is an election, an important gamechanger in a matter of one year. That is when the American people get to choose what they want instead of being told what they are going to get.

[stelci]

When are you going to report the real news? Track the money and the corruption is clear. Come on CBS, start investigating and reporting the news and stop being Obama's cheerleader.

[WTFDoesAnyoneCare]

Chicago is full of inner-city thieves, killers, and losers. Just read the recent articles. Why would the Obamas want Chicago to represent the US in the Olympics--or anything else?

[timincal]

I think it is a good idea.

All the people of the world should have the opportunity to get mugged while visiting the 'Windy city".

I did.

It will also give all the crooks and thugs that reside there to mug people that speak different languages and have lots of money on them.

[dwilson59]

If you drive through Chicago they could tear down all the Housing Projects and build new ones. Then when the games are gone lower income people can buy condos in the goverment projects.

I think this could work.