High Hopes In Chicago

Chicago mayor Richard Daley is dreaming big. His hopes of landing a bid for the 2016 Olympics have prompted the idea of a new domed stadium and a second NFL football team for the Windy City.

Chicago doesn’t have an indoor facility for huge events like the Olympics or the Super Bowl. The mayor may have privately proposed the idea of bringing another football team to the city to land such a stadium, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Observers were skeptical, pointing out to the paper that a second NFL team in Chicago – which probably wouldn’t be a priority for the league – would likely have to pay a hefty sum to encroach on the Bears’ territory.

Along with that cost, an 80,000-capacity domed stadium, which is an expected requirement of an Olympics host city, would probably cost between $600 million and $1 billion.

While some business leaders told the paper that the mayor’s domed ambition might be “pie in the sky” thinking, Daley is credited for following through with grandiose plans, including the creation of the city’s Millennium Park.

Daley opted out of bidding for the 2008 Summer Games, but is said to be serious this time.

“Chicago really has grown as a world-class city and has shown that our business community is willing to step up to the plate on big projects,” Daley’s deputy press secretary, Jodi Kawada, told the Tribune. “So, we’re well-positioned to take on an event like the Olympics.