Chicago 2016's Olympic tennis court plans ruffle some feathers

Worst. Idea. Ever.
Let's have thousands of people flock near a bird sanctuary and see what will happen.

The really interesting remark comes from the alderman, Helen Shiller, who told the Belmont Harbor Neighbors group last year that she was pushing for the Olympics to have the tennis matches at the very same spot she is now saying wouldn't be good. Could this be yet another very bad political move to alienate her voters? I guess the real question is does she even care?

The Field Museum seems to have abandoned science to become a "Yes, Mayor" institution. What is the relationship between the Field Museum and the mayor anyway? Let's follow the money trail between them. The Field Museum should stop the cocktail parties and defend the migratory flyway and bird sanctuaries.

Just thought I'd sign in saying I'd prefer they stay away from the bird sanctuary.

One of the few times Da Mare isn't "for the birds."

ok susan, really responsible of you to suggest that the environment come second to money- isn't this the problem we are facing in the world right now?-remember we are linked to nature and we cannot survive without it. you can print all the money you want but if we don't have an inhabitable planet it doesn't mean birdsh*t either. you are obviously part of the problem.

Shoudl the city garner the bid (which I'm hoping won't happen if the IOC is keeping an eye on the Blago scandal and hoping they realize that Daley's not much different. Anyway ..), should this happen - everyone had better get used to hearing the following phrase:

"We had to deviate from the initial plans due to [enter excuse for poor planning here]."

Giving Daley the Olympics will open the flood gates on every stupid idea that man has cooking in that bird-brained intellect of his.

Color me jaded, but I don't trust anything that man, or his hand-picked army of Olympic cronies tell us about anything.

Especially after last week when Chicago 2016 broke from the public statement about not using tax dollars.

Daley's goals from the Olympics:

- boost his ego
- strengthen the "Daley Legacy"
- scorch the south side and rebuild
- line the pockets of his equally ignorant buddies with questionably utilized tax dollars.

Hopefully, the IOC is reading the comments sections and listening to the majority of the city who want NOTHING to do with the Olympics if the same brain trust assembled by Mayor Mumbles has their hands on the tiller.

The City of Chicago should explore extend LSD north of Hollywood to South Blvd in Evanstan. Creating a new lake fron with tennis courts, new bird sanctuary, beaches , parkland, better traffic flow, and maybe a site for Equestrian site with trails along the lake.

Just what is the maximum number of people, participants and spectators, that will be at this site at any given time during the games? 1,000? 10,000? 20,000? They won't be arriving in cars if none are allowed during the games. There will be plenty of crown control and they won't be trampling through the bird sanctuary. Since this wouldn't be a permanent disruption, just for the year or 2 to build it, run the show and then dismantle it, the bird's, those that didn't roost, would most likely return when it's over.

I'm not the biggest fan of these games and I don't trust the people running it to do so efficiently and with minimal corruption. However, vitriol, name calling and illogical assumptions is not the way to fight city hall - it only displays people's impotency.

These people who are against this forget the cities unofficial motto: Where's mine? They should be bargaining for, say, an expansion of the existing sanctuary. That and the clocktower and courts renovation for eventual citizen use. Having both results would be a nice legacy post games.

Major construction took place on the east side of the bird sanctuary as part of the lake wall reconstruction project by the Army Corp of Engineers. Our avian friends persevered through that construction project and I am sure they can make it through this new project.

When will King Dick Daley realize that most of the residents of Chicago don't want the Olympics here... not only do we have these environmental issues but there is always the 400-pound gorilla in the room that is the loss of revenue for our city! Other than L.A. in 1984, every city that hosts the games LOSES money on the deal! So why do we want these games?!?

I, for one, hope that Rio or some other city gets the bid... the claim of hosting an Olympic games is not worth the costs involved... especially considering our current budgetary crises.

I hope they litigate this and put some pressure on Mayor Daley to think beyond his legacy. We can only hope that Chicago does not get the 2016 Olympics.

Dear God:

Please let Rio get them 2016 Olympics.

Amen.

I want the Olympics here. I want the world to see our beautiful city. I am not worried about the birds as they have alternate places...even our airports. I worry about the people's safety over the birds.

Ralphie wrote:

Dear God:
Please let Rio get them 2016 Olympics.
Amen.

i am with you 100% as a City resident I don't want it here for many reasons one being a tennis court in the middle of the golf course and bird santuary the cost to my and all other City dweller's pocketbook. Rio sounds great to me!!!!

Who cares about the birds? Bring on the Olympics!

Rio 2016

The Olympics are just an unnecessary scam. Don't do it Chicago. The resulting tax burden will decimate the city's citizens. Does anyone remember anything from the summer games just this last summer? I don't. The only people to benefit from any Olympics in Chicago will be the politicians and the friends they sell the vendor licenses and building contracts to.

This 2016 Chicago Olympic bid continues to be a sham by Daley and his cronies. These guys are drooling over how much money they'll make (and the taxpayers will pay). This part of the article, "the Olympics tennis plan, which is expected to be paid for with Games revenues and private donations" is a complete joke. The Olympics are incredibly expensive, just ask China. They spent $42 billion. We can't even get enough funding for the CTA, Metra or our schools and we're going to do the Olympics?

Vancouver and London are going bankrupt trying to build their venues. Why any cities want the 2016 game I have no idea.