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So here’s the plan…

The Chicago 2016 team who are currently in Copenhagen for the bid presentation.

How will the Olympics be “going green?” What’s going to happen to the Olympic venues after the games? How will the games affect Chicago from an international standpoint?

These might not be the questions you’re asking about the 2016 Summer Olympics. But you should be.

As eager as some of us are to have the games hosted in our city, there are others who are fighting to keep them out. Many oppose the games because of the unanswered questions above. A group of protesters have even started a web site against the games, www.ChicagoansforRio.com . They claim that the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens left behind dozens of abandoned venues, and that the 2012 games in London will create a $8.6 billion budget overrun. Perhaps by researching new ways to bring the games to a city, we can calm the fears of those opposed to bringing the Olympics back to America.

I’ll be using a variety of methods to conduct my research and answer these questions, including searching the Internet for answers. Some of the Web sites that I will be going to include:

Chicago2016.org: This site is the heart and soul of the Chicago bid. Use the “Our Plan” tab to see what Chicago is working on so far.

ChicagoTribune.com: The famous Chicago paper is covering the bid process from all angles. Check the Quick Links toolbar at the top to get to the Olympic bid section.

ChicagoGames.com: This site calls themselves the “information hub for the city’s 2016 Summer Olympics bid. There’s even a running blog following the bid process in Copenhagen!

IOC (International Olympic Committee): The official site of the IOC. Check out the multi-media section for photos and video from past Olympics.

NPR: National Public Radio provides great multi-media sources for research. Look for the “Listen Here” icon to hear actual radio broadcasts.

Key words important to my research include:

Chicago 2016, Olympic bid cities, 2016 Olympic games, Olympic planning process, Olympic budgets, past Olympic venues, “green” olympics, Chicago, IOC, Olympic protesters

There’s a lot to think about here. The Olympics are one of the most prestigious events on the planet. With a global audience, it is crucial that the winning bid city address issues that affect not only our country, but the world.

Welcome!

In just 2 days we find out if Chicago will play host to the 2016 Summer Olympics. As a Chicagoan in support of the bid, I’m crossing my fingers that we will hear a victorious announcement on Friday morning… but regardless of the outcome, I’ll be following the bid winner on their journey to the games. Stay tuned for a more detailed description of what I’ll be researching and the questions I’ll be asking. More to come…