2016 Olympics

Which city should host the 2016 Olympic games?

  • Chicago

    Votes: 8 38.1%

  • Rio de Janeiro

    Votes: 11 52.4%

  • Tokyo

    Votes: 1 4.8%

  • Madrid

    Votes: 1 4.8%
  • Total voters
    21
czsz

czsz

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Where should they be? The IOC votes tomorrow around noon, and the heavy favorites are Chicago and Rio. No sense which will emerge victorious...
 
I said Rio cuz it's about time South America got some love. Also I met a ton of Brazilians this summer and they are awesome people.
 
They did drop the ball on the Pan Am Games though. Can they handle the Olympics? It's a tough call. I do think the final decision should be between the two front-runners.
 
If the Greeks could handle the Olympics then I'm quite sure the Brazilians can handle it.

And yes, I know that the Greeks could not handle the Olympics and were bailed out from epic worldwide embarrassment by the Germans and other EU partners.

Greek solution to the pool complex roof not being complete? No problem, welcome to our suddenly outdoor pool complex. Brilliant!
 
If the Greeks could handle the Olympics then I'm quite sure the Brazilians can handle it.
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Really, though? Greece was a mildly corrupt country where the trains didn't really run on time. Rio is filled with favelas, armed guards, gang wars, and kidnappings. The bid's answer to the security crisis is only that the venues would be well-guarded. What about the rest of the city?

I'd sincerely love to see the games come to South America, but I would prefer them in a safer place - Buenos Aires would be best.
 
Rio! Nowhere else is nearly as spectacular (Tokyo, Madrid, and Chicago are going the low-cost route, and there's low public support in Tokyo and Chicago), this will be a total party. It's one of the most beautiful places in the world, definitely a place befitting the world's greatest celebration of athletics and the human body and what it can do.
 
Since Brazil is hosting the 2014 world cup, I think Rio will get it.

Was it Mexico that got the same deal? I know the IOC likes the scenario because it means the main stadium will be ready + improvements will have already been made for tourists from the 2014 event (for example, the sao paulo-rio high speed train line planned for 2014)
 
I voted Rio for the reasons above (beautiful, active city... S.A. gets no love, etc) in addition to the fact that the token "local" shots on TV will without a doubt have a ton of shots of the beach which is home to (as you know) some very beautiful women. I'll take that over shots of people on the beaches of Lake Michigan.
 
Brazil, based on what I read in the Economist, has come so far in the past few years; it would be nice for them to show off their success.
 
Yes, Brazil has gone far...down the rabbithole.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2009/10/05/091005_audioslideshow_riogangster

Again, I like Brazil, I really want the games there...but how is it possible with this stuff going on?

Was it Mexico that got the same deal? I know the IOC likes the scenario because it means the main stadium will be ready + improvements will have already been made for tourists from the 2014 event (for example, the sao paulo-rio high speed train line planned for 2014)
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This happens once in awhile but it's no guarantee. I think it's happened four times before. Olympic voting can involve unpredictable politics, the WC might actually work against a place if it seems like it's already drawn too much attention, and there seems to even be a lower threshhold for it. South Africa, for example, is hosting the 2010 WC but didn't feel confident enough to put in an Olympic bid. They'll probably try to use their hosting a playing card in the next Olympic rounds...if the WC there is successful.
 
South America really deserves a shot at hosting the Olympics. It would be a big source of national pride and bring significant and needed investment to Rio. The infrastructure improvements alone would help bring Rio in line with more international cities.
 
czsz said:
Yes, Brazil has gone far...down the rabbithole.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2009/10/05/091005_audioslideshow_riogangster

Again, I like Brazil, I really want the games there...but how is it possible with this stuff going on?



This happens once in awhile but it's no guarantee. I think it's happened four times before. Olympic voting can involve unpredictable politics, the WC might actually work against a place if it seems like it's already drawn too much attention, and there seems to even be a lower threshhold for it. South Africa, for example, is hosting the 2010 WC but didn't feel confident enough to put in an Olympic bid. They'll probably try to use their hosting a playing card in the next Olympic rounds...if the WC there is successful.
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It doesn't seem like the gang violence is any worse than before (it's always an easy news story, if they want to make one of it). Also, crime in Rio is only barely more than in Chicago, Rio has 30 murders / 100,000 residents while Chicago has 21. With the two cities with about equal crime rates (plus I don't think many tourists would voluntarily go into the favelas unless they are feeling suicidal), would you prefer a cold northern city which is reusing old and existing stadiums or an exciting beautiful metropolis with stadiums that will only be 2 years old at the time of the Games?

BTW, no chance of Madrid or Tokyo winning, Madrid would cause 3 straight Olympics to be in Europe (2012, 2014, 2016) and Tokyo would cause 2 in 8 years (2008, 2016) which of course the IOC will not support due to its strong anti-non-European bias, plus the designs for Tokyo aren't particularly impressive.
 
czsz said:
Yes, Brazil has gone far...down the rabbithole.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2009/10/05/091005_audioslideshow_riogangster

Again, I like Brazil, I really want the games there...but how is it possible with this stuff going on?
.
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Favelas = detroit.

Does the decline of detroit hurt Chicago? Then the favelas shouldnt either. Obviously, theyre much closer....but theyre a world apart. No tourist will go in there (unless theyre paying to take a scenic bus tour of one....not joking, they exist)
 
would you prefer a cold northern city which is reusing old and existing stadiums or an exciting beautiful metropolis with stadiums that will only be 2 years old at the time of the Games?
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Cold northern city? They're holding the games in July. If anything I'd be more concerned about the Chicago heat (in Rio, it'll be winter).

I also think Chicago's plan is to build temporary stadiums in its parks.

Does the decline of detroit hurt Chicago? Then the favelas shouldnt either. Obviously, theyre much closer....but theyre a world apart. No tourist will go in there (unless theyre paying to take a scenic bus tour of one....not joking, they exist)
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The crime in the favelas doesn't just stay there. There are spillover effects. Pick up any guidebook on Rio...there are maybe one or two streets in the beach areas deemed safe at night...and this by books that generally praise edgy and off the radar screen attractions.

The level of violence might be even greater against naive tourists.
 
^^Rio's "winter" is much like Miami's, that being said, the climate in the two cities will not be very different, but Rio seems more inviting and tropical with its tropical mountains rather than some boring temperate flat farmland. Anyway Rio is planning to clear its favelas before 2016, I doubt that will be successful though.
 
Hosting the Olympics would give the Brazilian government a significant push to establish the rule of law in the favelas and fight the massive pitched battle it really needs to in order to break the backs of the criminal cartels. This is something which is long overdue in a country which by all means is on the way to becoming an international player.
 
Chicago has its bad neighborhoods, too. I don't see that as being a real factor in deciding who gets the Games.
 
Chicago was the first to go in voting! Tokyo went out next. Announcement of winner at 12:30.
 
Did not expect that. Really pulling for Rio now.
 
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