Oprah Winfrey Makes Case for Chicago’s 2016 Olympic Bid
In an effort to help boost Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics, Oprah Winfrey and several other prominent civic and corporate figures attended a gala with the members of the International Olympic Committee’s Evaluation Commission.
Just outside of the Art Institute of Chicago where the celebration was held, Winfrey hit the red carpet and articulated why the Windy City deserves to host the world’s largest sporting event. “[The Chicago Olympics] is going to be big, it’s huge, it’s enormous,” Winfrey told reporters.
The star-studded affair — which was closed to most media — included: Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley; the evaluation commission’s chairwoman, Nawal el-Moutawakel; and presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett.
The IOC and its committee members have been touring the city, meeting with officials and experiencing Midwestern culture firsthand since they arrived in the Chicago on April 2.
The exclusive party, which also featured performances from music legends Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor, provided a forum for some of the city’s biggest names to make a last-minute pitch to the group which will decide if Chicago is a better option than the other candidates cities: Tokyo, Japan; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; or Madrid, Spain.
The IOC has already received video greetings from President Barack Obama and Michael Jordan, both of whom attribute much of their success to the city of Broad Shoulders.
“What I’m hoping is we can have a real, honest conversation about how great this city is and the possibilities it will bring not only for the citizens of Chicago, but the citizens of the world,” Winfrey said.
The host city will be selected on October 2.
–gavin philip godfrey
