Chicago 2016 hunts fed cash
*snip*
But Crain’s
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?article_id=32423&seenIt=1
says my wallet might end up being lighter after all—because of Chicago style politics emanating from the White House.
Chicago and the Obama administration are exploring ways the federal government can bolster the city’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games with financial support for the $1-billion Olympic Village.
Crain’s has learned that senior presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett and Lori Healey, president of the Chicago 2016 committee, met this month with top officials of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to discuss financing options for the village, the single biggest project and question mark in the city’s bid.
The main hurdle facing Chicago is coming up with a long-range plan for an Olympic Village that is commercially viable while meeting objectives of existing HUD programs that could be tapped for funds, such as low-income housing tax credits and grants or loan guarantees for community development, affordable housing or housing for seniors.
“I think it’s premature to talk about what the funding might be,” says Ms. Jarrett, a former co-chair of Chicago 2016 and city planning commissioner who now heads White House efforts to help Chicago’s bid. “A proposal has not been made to the federal government, but the administration is not closing the door” on anything, she adds. The administation “obviously (is) willing to meet and listen.”
Hoo boy...this could get expensive.
UPDATE 10:35pm: Drudge is reporting that Chicago 2016 told Fox 32 Chicago not to run a mildly critical report because it “would harm Chicago’s chances” of winning the games.
Very interesting.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?article_id=32423&seenIt=1
can Chicago afford to lose millions hosting an Olympics?
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Lose? They’ll make a ton of money, our money, handed over to them by the *pay to play* squatter in the WH.