POSTED: Sunday January 18th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. Mayors Endorse Chicago 2016 's Efforts to Bring Olympic and Paralympic Games to Chicago in 2016

U.S. Mayors Olympic Task Force partners with World Sport Chicago on Urban Youth Sport Initiative

CHICAGO (January 17, 2008)-Chicago 2016 announced today that the U.S. Mayors have officially endorsed Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Through the leadership of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Chicago 2016 is working with mayors from across the United States to promote the Olympic Movement. To further support the bid’s efforts, the U.S. Mayors Olympic Task Force, co-chaired by Mayor Daley and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, is partnering with Chicago 2016’s legacy organization, World Sport Chicago, to address urban sport on a national level-a central component of Chicago 2016’s legacy efforts.

“Like the bid effort itself, this task force is designed to help build bridges of friendship with the world and bring the world to the United States.,” said Mayor Richard M. Daley.  “Further, we hope by working together that we can inspire even more young people to participate in sport through the Olympic Movement.”

The Olympic Task Force met with Olympians Arlene Limas, Michael Conley and Bart Conner and Paralympian Ann Cody today during the U.S. Conference of Mayors 77th Winter Meeting. Chairman of World Sport Chicago and Director of Sport for Chicago 2016 Bill Scherr, who is also an Olympic athlete, briefed the task force on key bid initiatives focused on nationalizing the campaign. A main focus of discussion was how Chicago 2016 and World Sport Chicago, who also have teamed up with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and various national governing bodies of sport, will work with the task force to create awareness and identify issues in urban sport on a national level.

World Sport Chicago developed the Urban Youth Sport Initiative as a way to promote Olympic sport and increase awareness and accessibility of sport programs in the City of Chicago and the surrounding area. The initiative uses sport as a tool for positive engagement of youth and development of life skills in an effort to overcome urban challenges.

Since its inception, World Sport Chicago has partnered with a number of organizations, including the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Public Schools and national sport governing bodies to introduce programs such as badminton, wrestling, boxing, swimming, aquatics, track and field, international sport exchange and Paralympic programs to youth in Chicago.

“Through World Sport Chicago, Chicago 2016 has introduced many new sport programs to the youth of Chicago and we look forward to working with mayors from across the country to expand this type of programming,” said Patrick G. Ryan, chairman and CEO of Chicago 2016. “Youth sport in the United States will benefit from our bid, and the development of an Olympic Task Force is a testament to our bid’s efforts and the importance of making sport accessible to youth across the country.”

In early December, the U.S. Mayors announced several mayors and business leaders who have been added to an Executive Steering Committee that will help guide the task force, including: Mayor Manuel Diaz (Miami), Mayor Mufi Hannemann (Honolulu), Mayor Richard M. Daley (Chicago), Mayor Ardell Brede (Rochester, Minn.), Mayor Kevin Burns (North Miami), Mayor Elaine Walker (Bowling Green, KY), Mayor Greg Nickels (Seattle), Mayor Elizabeth Kautz (Burnsville, Minn.), Mayor Mick Cornett (Oklahoma City), Mayor Ralph Becker (Salt Lake City), William Anton, chairman and founder of Anton Airfoods, Noel Hentschel, president and CEO of AmericanTours International, Christopher Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Hotels Corporation, Penny Pritzker, founder and chair of Classic Residence by Hyatt, Glenn Tilton, chairman, president and CEO of United Airlines, and Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels.

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About Chicago 2016

Chicago 2016 is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to seek the privilege of hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Chicago. The committee’s board consists of business, civic, athletic, cultural and academic leaders representing Chicago and the surrounding Midwest region. Patrick Ryan serves as the organization’s chairman and CEO.

About World Sport Chicago

World Sport Chicago (WSC) is an Illinois not-for-profit working to enhance the image, awareness and participation in Olympic sports across Chicago and to extend Chicago’s international outreach through and for sport and youth. Focused on promoting the development of recreational and competitive sport to the area’s youth, WSC works closely with Chicago 2016 and Chicago’s 2016’s Athlete Advisory Council (AAC) to provide sport expertise and athlete insight to the execution of these sporting events. WSC intends to aid Chicago in developing a sustainable, international sporting legacy as a real agent of social change for the city. William Scherr, an Olympic medalist in wrestling, is chairman of the board and Scott Myers serves as the executive director.

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Keywords · Chicago 2016 · olympic bid

Name: Mica Matsoff
Organization: Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid
Email:
Phone: 1.312.861.4826
URL: http://www.chicago2016.org/

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