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Front page News National Big names arrive for Olympic bid

Big names arrive for Olympic bid

Thursday, 01 October 2009 11:01 KR News
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IOC meeting brings global celebrities, leaders, royals, sports stars and traffic jams to Copenhagen

Royalty, heads of state, athletes and celebrities are all vying to win the IOC vote to host the 2016 Olympics, but locals can expect more road closures than photo ops.

As thousands of fans, delegations and celebrities descend on the city for tonight’s opening ceremony of the 121st International Olympic Committee session, police have warned of extensive traffic disruptions.

The opening ceremony at the Copenhagen Opera House tonight will feature delegates from each of the bid cities – Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Madrid.

Danish, Spanish and Japanese royalty will mix with sports stars, celebrities and heads of state, with Michelle Obama carrying the torch for the Chicago bid until her husband arrives early tomorrow.

Main areas affected today include Amalienborg Palace at noon, when the queen will greet visiting dignitaries. Parking and traffic restrictions are in place around the Opera all day, while the Bella Center venue is subject to severe restrictions.

Motorists and commuters have been urged to use public transport where possible.

The nature of a US presidential visit means Barack Obama’s entire route from the airport to the Bella Center, and to Christiansborg to meet Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, must be blocked off.

When Air Force One lands tomorrow morning, police will close off the nearby Øresunds Bridge and Øresunds motorway between 7.30 and 8.30am. Restrictions will also be enacted between 11.30am and 12.30pm as the Obamas depart Copenhagen. Train traffic across the bridge will also be affected during these times.

In addition to the Obama route, temporary road closures will take effect over the next two days as VIPs are ferried around the city by motorcade.

Even the star power of talk show host Oprah Winfrey was not enough to exempt her from the restrictions, as she was delayed by police blockades on her way to a party.

Winfrey has become a paparazzi target since her arrival in the capital to support the Chicago bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

Hundreds of eager fans have been waiting outside the Hotel d’Angleterre to get a glimpse of the star, and were rewarded with a brief look as she was delayed and blocked in by police cavalcades last night.

Oprah was on her way to attend a supporters’ dinner in the nearby Admiral Hotel, along with other Chicago luminaries such as Michelle Obama, but was delayed for 10 minutes by the arrival of Spanish Queen Sofia at her hotel.

And it’s not just the Americans and Spanish pulling out the big guns in support of their home cities as Japanese marathon runner Kanpei Hazama arrived in Copenhagen yesterday to plug Tokyo’s bid.

While the Obamas and Oprah may have the luxury of flying in and out of the country, Hazama journey to Denmark began in December last year.

The runner and comedian has already covered 10 countries and will run and sail a total of 36,000km before arriving home in March 2011.

Hazama will run around 50km a day and sail 16,000km of the journey, which will also pass through other bid cities of Chicago and Madrid.

Comments
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tom1980  - Jante law will be suspended?   |2009-10-01 13:11:44
"When Air Force One lands tomorrow morning, police will close off the nearby Øresunds Bridge and Øresunds motorway between 7.30 and 8.30am"
npandjmclay  - The Hotel Admiral   |2009-10-01 15:53:16
What a commercial it got on TV yesterday! Well deserved, say I. And what quote from Oprah! "Chicago offers 'diversification'...." She corrected herself later ('diversit') but it was Freudian slip. The Windy City will have to diversify if it wants to present itself as attractive, tourist-friendly and cosmopolitan. Apart from Lakeshore Drive and the main shopping drag, it still reeks of Al Capone, urban blight and the need for a national health service.
chester arthur  - no olympics for Chicago   |2009-10-01 17:18:45
The lack of national health rationing,which is what nationalized health care becomes everywhere it's tried,has about as much to do with Chicago's unsuitability for the Olympoics as rubber band production has to do with turtle psychology.The reason Chicago is unsuitable is that it is one of the most dangerous places in the U.S. to even travel through,much less stay in for the duration of the Olympics.Two teenagers were beaten to death by mobs just this week for no reason.Americans go far out of their way to stay far out of the way of the Chicago thugs who roam freely in the city.It's even illegal to defend yourself against them.Save the lives of Olympic athletes by granting the Olympics to a safer,less corrupt city.
rbblum  - Celebrate in Brazil   |2009-10-01 22:55:13
Rather telling: A recent survey relfects about half of Chicago residents prefer not to host the 2012 Olympics. . . Instead of financially rewarding Valerie Jarrett with Chicago real estate projects at taxpayer expense, please bless Brazil with the opportunity to celebrate the Olympic games on the global stage. The people of Brazil and the Olympic program will be greatly enriched.
npandjmclay   |2009-10-01 23:33:19
Chester, you misunderstand irony - a common failing among denizens of the West Atlantic region. But you agree with my Al Capone observation. Thanks.
cassey  - Mrs.   |2009-10-02 00:48:39
please don't let the Obama's have the Olympics. He needs to come home and take care of his war in Afghanistan, preferable get out of Afghanistan. Chicagoans don't want the Olympics. America doesn't have the money at this time. Let Japan have it, or Rio.....This Japan runner has the real Olympic spirit. We love the pictures from Daenemark. Very lovely. We will come to see the country.
mztao   |2009-10-02 01:04:36
I live in Chicago and have resided in some of the neighborhoods that are said to be" extremely dangerous." When one steps away from Lake Shore Drive and enters our various neighborhoods they will find out that there are many wonderful people in these areas. The negative news about everybody killing everyone here is overblown. Believe me violence does occur here as it does in Rio, however, I can say we don't have gangs roaming the streets posing as heavy armed militias. I once lived in a neighborhood that was considered one of the most dangerous in the city, yet for two years I was never bothered as I walked home even in the late hours. I don't know if I am for the Olympics here, but I just want to state that Chicago's crime situation is not as dire as the media makes it out to be.
amoulits  - crime & American views towards Chicago   |2009-10-02 01:45:47
I can't believe some of the stuff I'm reading on here. Chicago, has a serious violent crime problem. It also has its fair share of urban blight. But like most of America, it is a paradoxical situation. Along the shores of azure-colored Lake Michigan lies one of the world's most beautiful cities, with amazing food, nightlife and some of the friendliest people you'll meet.

Obviously, there are a few pieces of misinformation that I'd like to correct. A majority of residents in Chicago support the games. I can say this as someone who does not support the games. The poll being used by one poster is an outlier as most polls mirror what I generally see. A city that is excited at the possibility to hosting the games.

If crime is a concern, certainly Rio would be out as well and the bid should either go to Madrid or Tokyo. Rio's violent crime rates are much higher. While Chicago does have a high violent crime rate, it is in fact NOT "one" of the worst cities in the U.S. for violent crime. There are quite a few other major American cities that have murder rates 3 to 5 times greater then Chicago.

Americans do not go "out of their way" to stay away from the city. Chicago is one of the premier destination cities for Americans. Unfortunately, some still believe the Capone analogies but then again, if someone is using Capone to describe Chicago, I can only question their education level, openess of mind and reasoning skills.

Lastly, Chicago does offer free health-care to all its citizens. Obviously the federal government could do more to insure that this level of care is better. The city could also turn down people from outside the city to insure that the people of the city get better care, but alas, the hopsitals don't.

Anyhow, may the best city foot the Olympic bill...
ChicagoDave  - In Defense of Chicago   |2009-10-02 05:08:45
To the Clays, I would love to know to what you refer when you say that Chicago "reeks of Al Capone and urban blight." Al Capone exists only in the minds of foreigners who can't let go of low-life mobster who grew up and spent most of his life in New York. Urban blight? Chicago is an architecturally significant American city which cannot, of course, compete with the antiquated, backwards, and austere spirit of cities like Copenhagen.

And to Chester, I have lived in Chicago for 30 years and laughed when I read your assertion that thugs "roam freely in the city." Like any American and European city, there are areas to avoid. No large city is immune to violence or corruption--Paris, London, New York, LA, and yes, even Chicago.

So, please stop pretending to be the expert on topics you very obviously are not.

Much of Chicago is beautiful, lush, fun, and safe. The IOC would do well to choose our city for the 2016 Summer Games.
npandjmclay  - Chicago, Chicago...tumtetum....   |2009-10-02 09:07:49
Chicago Dave, I refer you to your fellow Yank above: "The reason Chicago is unsuitable is that it is one of the most dangerous places in the U.S. to even travel through,much less stay in for the duration of the Olympics.Two teenagers were beaten to death by mobs just this week for no reason.Americans go far out of their way to stay far out of the way of the Chicago thugs who roam freely in the city.It's even illegal to defend yourself against them." Shades of Al Capone. By the way, you've picked the wrong fight if you want to claim Chicago's architecture is superior to Copenhagen's.
npandjmclay  - amoulits on health care   |2009-10-02 09:58:22
"....The city could also turn down people from outside the city to insure that the people of the city get better care, but alas, the hopsitals don't." This, I'm afraid is the 'beggar my neighbour' morality prevalent in the Land of the Free! Freedom to die.
JFD   |2009-10-02 12:06:07
For those of you who have never lived in an American city, ChicagoDave is right. You ought to keep your mouth shut or risk having your ignorance show. What you see in movies, TV news and an occasional visit/airport stopover is by far an inaccurate picture of any American City.
American cities are often referred to by their entire area, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as their MSA - “Metropolitan Statistical Area”. This comes about because many more people live around an American City than inside the actual city limits. American suburbs are huge and stretch out for miles, and certainly to a much greater degree than most all European cities. You can start in Downtown Chicago and drive for an hour before you see a farm. In Copenhagen, 20 minutes. Århus – 10. Most of the wealth of American cities is found in their suburbs, not within the actual city limits.
Chicagos's MSA has 9,725,317 residents. The City of Chicago only has 2,853,114 residents. Chicago's MSA covers 18.684 sq. Km, the city of Chicago covers 606 sq. km. Now let’s just relate that to København which has an entire urban (actual city + Storkøbenhavn) area of 456 sq. km. The island of Sjælland covers only 7.031 sq. km – only 38% the MSA of Chicago!
The reason I am showing you these statistics is because the Olympics will within and around the City of Chicago, i.e. within the entire MSA. For example, the equestrian games of the Atlanta Olympics occurred in Conyers, Georgia which is about 45 km away from downtown Atlanta (one of the most violent places in the entire US). That’s the same distance from Helsingør to København C.
Yes, within certain parts of the City of Chicago you will find destitute & violent areas… and the games will come nowhere close to them. All of your unfounded bitching and moaning would mathematically equate to someone sitting in another part of the world saying nothing should occur on Sjælland because Nørreport is so violent.
 

 

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