Remember The Big Promises This Illinois City Made In It’s Olympic Host Bid?

The Paris 2024 games are here and we're remembering when the Midwest was almost in the international spotlight.

Hosting the Olympic Games comes with good and bad for the host country. Often times, stadiums and tracks are left abandoned after the Games. The infrastructure of the host city better be good and able to handle millions of people visiting to watch the Games.

It's a chance to shine (or crash) on the international stage.

Let's think back to the Games pre-COVID. Before the summer Games this year was Tokyo 2020 (which was in 2021 because of The Ick) and before that was Rio 2016, which is where Chicago got the shaft.

Chicago And The Olympics That Never Were

Cities and their countries really peacock and strut in their presentation to the International Olympic Committee on why they should host the next Games. This can lead to some big promises, like it did for Chicago in their bid to host the 2016 summer Games.

Chicago spent about $70 million for contractors, marketing, and more to try to win the bid, according to Chicago Mag. Here were the Olympic promises of Chicago sites (and their now realities).

Michael Reese Hospital Site

The plan: This would've been the Olympic Village, home to 16,000 athletes. Chicago's pitch said that after the Games, it would be turned into housing.

The reality: until this year, it's been an empty lot. Now, work is underway to make it a "megadevelopment" (housing, retail, welcoming center, life sciences center).

Washington & Jackson Parks

The plan: this would've been where the Opening & Closing Ceremonies are, along with track & field events, field hockey, and aquatics.

The reality: they're open parks.

Grant Park

The plan: Grant Park was going to host archery, with marathons along Columbus Drive, and rowing in the lake.

The reality: the former "bridge to nowhere" in Grant Park now goes to Maggie Daley Park, which has proved to be very popular with guests.

Douglas Park

The plan: Cycling, basketball, and gymnastics were all supposed to be here. A $40 million velodrome would have been built for the Games here too.

The reality: It used to be the site of Chicago's Riot Fest. Now it's a city park.

Northerly Island

The plan: Olympic volleyball, slalom, and a sailing course from Burnham Harbor to the lake.

The reality: it's a recreation area now. Some of the trails closed soon after the 2016 Olympics because the lake was eroding them.

Maybe it wasn't a terribly bad thing that the world wasn't in Chicago for the Olympics. Aftermath of the 2016 Olympics still litters Rio years later.