But what would happen if we did get the vote? Undoubtedly, the Olympics would cost a large sum of money and we are spending about $100 million on the bid alone. In an article I read recently the reported estimate cost is $3.8 billion (I'm not even really sure if I can grasp how much money that is...), but Robert Livingstone, an expert in the Olympic selection process says, "It will probably cost more..." The city, however, still has a strong argument due to the fact that we don't need to do much to augment the infrastructure that is already in place. Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College, even seemed to think that Chicago could make money from the Olympics if we can learn from cities like Atlanta and Los Angeles. This surprised me quite a bit... I always thought of it only as how much it would cost and not that there was even really a possibility of making money. Which makes me think... If the city can make money is it worth the huge amounts of money it will cost us now? The city has put in their bid, but is this good for the city or will we regret it if we get the bid?
I think that if we make some money, hosting the 2016 Olympics would be an amazing experience. Even if the city spends a ton, it would benefit for the future. Just think of all the money tourism would make! Though the construction would be a hassle, I think that the outcome will be worth it. It would also be cool to see how the different countries act in our hometown. I don't know if I am speaking for the majority, but I hope we get the bid!
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