Resolution: Great Lakes Commission support for the City of Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic games
Adopted on October 7, 2008

PDF version for printing

Whereas, the City of Chicago has been selected by the United States Olympic Committee as the official U.S. Bid City for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, thus entering it as a finalist in the International Olympic Committee’s bid process; and

Whereas, hosting the Olympic games in Chicago and surrounding area would generate significant direct economic impact to the binational Great Lakes region by attracting an estimated six million visitors and participants from throughout the continent and the world to venues in greater Chicago and surrounding states, and by stimulating commensurate investment in facilities and infrastructure; and

Whereas, the international media exposure derived from the Olympic Games – an estimated 30 billion viewers worldwide - would provide an excellent opportunity to market the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence region as a desirable travel and recreation destination; and

Whereas, the Games would also provide the opportunity to expose to a global audience the ecological uniqueness and value of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence water resource, along with the binational efforts being undertaken to restore and protect that resource; and

Whereas, other direct benefits to the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence states and provinces would be the lengthy and extensive physical preparations for the Olympics, which would hopefully include regionwide efforts to present the cleanest, most ecologically sound environment for the Games possible, thus making the Games a golden opportunity to promote, on the U.S. side, a federal interest in the restoration package articulated by the Regional Collaboration.

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Great Lakes Commission enthusiastically endorses the City of Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Adopted at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Great Lakes Commission, Québec City, Québec, Oct. 7, 2008.