Chicago-The Jewel of the Midwestern U.S.

Tokyo-The Metropolis of The Land of the Rising Sun

Rio-The Paradise of Brasilia

Madrid-The Capital of The Spanish Kingdom

The politics have been played the bids have been laid out. Each city has called on their star power and even heads of state to promote their chances. Tomorrow the International Olympic Committee will decide in  Copenhagen Denmark who will host the 2016 Summer Games of the XXXI Olympiad. The race has had no clear-cut front runner and it is expected to be an historically close vote.

Ladies and Gentlemen The Contenders:

Chicago 2016

Website: Chicago2016.org

Bid CEO: Pat Ryan
Country: United States
Population: 3 million
Average daytime temperature during Games: 77 degrees
Venues: 15 existing; 16 to be built
Operating budget (U.S. dollars): $3.8 billion
Capital budget (U.S. dollars): $1.03 billion
Lodging: 57000 rooms guaranteed
In-city travel: 19 venues would be within 10 minutes of Olympic Village
Public support: 67% locally supported the Games in Chicago (IOC poll)
Recent events hosted: World Cup soccer (1994 1999); AIBA Boxing World Championships (2007)
Planned Olympic Stadium: 80000 capacity
Planned Games dates: July 22-August 7

Why they’ll win:

Of all the contenders Chicago clearly has the biggest star power backing its bid. Oprah Winfrey Olympic gold medalists David Robinson and Nastia Liukin Richard Daley and even the President of the United States Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are traveling with the Chicago delegation to Copenhagen for the vote. Aside from the star power Chicago has guaranteed more rooms that its three competitors has outlined a rather short time of travel from the proposed Olympic Stadium and also has the picturesque scene of Lake Michigan on its side. Along with building new venues Chicago’s Soldier Field and United Center provide two major venues  for soccer and basketball and the city is used to hosting beach volleyball events as well as a staple in the Dew Action Sports tour which will suffice for BMX events.

Why they won’t win

Chicago while the public support numbers were high when polled in the IOC has faced a huge outcry of opponents to the city hosting the Olympics. Demonstrators have shown up to Copenhagen Berlin and other sites for IOC meetings this year to make clear their displeasure with Chicago’s pursuit of the Summer Olympics due to placement of funds or priorities that they feel should be spent in more pressing areas. The growing sentiment may steer the IOC away from Chicago. Other issues such as crime transportation and traffic cause concerns as well.

Madrid 2016

Website: Madrid2016.es

Bid CEO: Mercedes Coghen
Country: Spain
Current population: 3 million
Average daytime temperature during Games: 87 degrees
Venues: 23 existing; 10 to be built
Operating budget (U.S. dollars): $2.67 billion
Capital budget (U.S. dollars): $3.44 billion
Hotel rooms: 52000 rooms guaranteed
In-city travel: 17 competition venues will be within 10 minutes of Olympic Village
Public support: 85% locally supported the Games in Madrid (IOC poll)
Recent events hosted: European men’s basketball championships (2007); BWF Badminton World Championships (2005)
Planned Olympic Stadium: 70000 capacity
Planned Games dates: August 5-21

Why they’ll win

Madrid has two great things going for its bid: Venues and Public Support. Out of all the bids it has the most existing venues built and also has the highest public support per the IOC poll conducted almost two months ago. The city has great experience hosting big sporting events.

Why they won’t win

There has been questions about possible shortfalls in Madrid’s budget for the games and the committee caused a big no-no by attacking a competitors bid in calling Rio de Janeiro’s effort “the worst bid.” Officials from Madrid 2016 have since apologized but it does no good for the prospect of goodwill in their chances. Also hurting Madrid is the one thing it does not have that its competitors do: A beach. Plus with Barcelona having hosted the games in 1992 the odds don’t look good for another city in Spain to get the nod so quickly. Plus London is hosting in 2012 and back-to-back Olympic Games in Europe would scream to some of European bias.

Rio de Janeiro 2016

Website: Rio2016.org

Bid CEO: Carlos Arthur Nuzman

Country: Brazil
Current population 6 million
Average daytime temperature during Games: 78 degrees
Venues: 18 existing; 15 have to be built
Operating budget (U.S. dollars): $2.82 billion
Capital budget (U.S. dollars): $11.1 billion
Lodging: Guaranteed 48000 rooms
In-city travel: 14 venues will be within 10 minutes of Olympic Village
Public support: 85% locally supported the Games in Rio (IOC poll)
Recent events hosted: BMX World Championship (2005); FIBA Women’s World Championship (2006)
Planned Olympic Stadium: 90000 capacity
Planned Games dates: August 5-21

Why they’ll win

Aside from the fact that Rio is a paradise-like location with plenty of allure has great public support (85 percent) has by far the largest capital budget of any candidate and will provide a great atmosphere one factor gives Rio a slight edge over the others: The continent of South America has never had a city host the Olympics. That alone makes Rio a sentimental favorite. In 2007 Brazil hosted the Pan American games and in 2014 the “beautiful game” comes to the land of the five-time World Cup Champions where the nation will be in rare form to see another Cup hoisted.

Why they won’t win

Rio has faced major questions about having sufficient hotels and lodging for their bid which could be a major hurdle to its chances. The pressure of having the World Cup and the Olympics two years apart in the same country could steer some voters away. Most importantly out of all the cities Rio may have the worst crime a huge factor that could damage its bid.

Tokyo 2016

Website: Tokyo2016.or.jp

Bid CEO: Dr. Ichiro Kono
Country: Japan
Current population: 13 million
Average daytime temperature during Games: 90 degrees
Venues: 17 existing; 17 to be built
Operating budget (U.S. dollars): $2.86 billion
Capital budget (U.S. dollars): $3.09 billion
Lodging: 45000 rooms guaranteed
In-city travel: All but one venue within 5 miles of Olympic Stadium
Public support: 56% locally supported the Games in Tokyo (IOC poll)
Recent events hosted: FIVB Volleyball World Cup (2007); ISU World Figure Skating Championships (2007)
Planned Olympic Stadium: 100000 capacity
Planned Games dates: July 29-August 14

Why they’ll win

Many insiders have Tokyo as it’s front-runner in this race. The bid includes great transportation plans as well “green” initiatives for building new venues to help the environment. Also in Tokyo’s favor is a good budget the largest proposed Olympic Stadium of all its competitors and the fact that they last hosted the Games in 1964.

Why they won’t win

Tokyo had the lowest percentage of public support in the IOC poll. One of the biggest arguments against Tokyo would be that the Asia recently hosted the games in Beijing just last year. The potential for gridlock and crowd control presents a problem as Tokyo is  by far the largest populated city in contention.

Prediction

Big fanfare is expected for each cities presentation. With dignitaries from around the world in attendance each city will pull out all the stops to impress the panel. Experts have said that this vote may be closer than the vote for the 2012 Games conducted four years ago where London edged Paris in a surprise. What makes this bid so difficult is that each city has great strengths but at least one glaring weakness.

The vote will be close perhaps the closest ever. I expect Madrid to not be a factor. Rio has to be the sentimental favorite carrying the banner for a South American Olympics for the first time and history but I believe only has an outside shot. Tokyo seems to have elevated itself above others in a technical bid with great potential. However in the end I think the backing of the star power the well-put-together bid the huge aura of the President now one of the most 191recognizable faces around the globe will tip the balance in the favor of the Windy City. Therefore expect the IOC to award the XXXI Olympiad of the Summer Games to crown jewel of the Midwestern United States Chicago.

Full reaction from the decision here tomorrow.

-B. Cox