Keep the Olympics Out of Our Parks
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Even if the Olympic bid is won by Chicago, it is not too late to put a stop to the nefarious plans for Washington Park. There is no good reason why the stadium venue cannot be changed to a much better nonpark location on existing vacant land, i.e., the old industrial clearance area south of 79th Street. That is a potentially beautiful lakeside setting that would offer the unique benefit of lake boat commuter transportation to and from downtown, thus reducing the big burden on surface transit.
The Olympics: Good or Bad for Tourism?
One should not underestimate the effect of international publicity on tourism. New Zealand experienced a boom in tourism after “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was released. Photogenic locales will attract more visitors. Dublin and Prague are good examples; they benefited from EU membership. And with a Democrat likely in the White House in 2016, the odds of another recession are slim. . . .—Stephen Schade
And, of course, right after the Olympics you are going to see a drop in tourism—everybody came there DURING the Olympics!! It’s the LONG TERM effect that is important.—Moon
