CHICAGO -- Organizers of Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics hammered on history Monday, telling an International Olympic Committee team the city's commitment to the environment and accessibility emerged long before its push for the games.
Organizers noted they are not allowed to contrast what competing bid cities Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid are doing, but stressed during a media briefing that they're highlighting Chicago's leadership in both areas.
IOC inspectors learned that the city dates its environmental efforts back a century to architect and planner Daniel Burnham, whose 1909 master plan called for an entirely open and accessible lakefront. Organizers then fast-forwarded to Mayor Richard Daley, who they called a longtime proponent of green construction, rooftop gardens and other environmental initiatives.
"Mayor Daley is proving that big cities around the world can truly exist in harmony with nature," Suzanne Malec-McKenna, commissioner with the city's Department of Environment told the briefing.
Chicago is the first stop on the IOC inspection tour and as organizers in other cities will certainly do, they pulled out the heaviest of heavy hitters to offer their support.
Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama, addressed the IOC team in person Monday, while Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared via video.
Jarrett promised that the White House would set up an office to provide support for the games and oversee a host of federal agencies, the first time the White House has done so before the final selection of a host city, organizers said.
Clinton said the government will make sure the customs and immigration process will be streamlined so athletes and other visitors will have no trouble getting to the games.
Organizers also touted Chicago's numerous innovations. For example, the IOC learned about a plan for 100 percent of the games' energy to come from renewable sources. And there were the proposed "energy generating floor tiles" that the bid's literature touts as harnessing people's steps into energy.
But organizers also acknowledged a lot of details haven't been worked out.
"The renewable energy we would use has not been determined," because the games are years away, said Robert Accarino, the bid's director of environment.
Although it remains unknown exactly how IOC members are responding to Chicago's presentation -- members are not talking to the media until Tuesday and organizers have declined to discuss what questions they're asking -- Accarino gave one small hint about their possible concerns.
He suggested Chicago 2016 had to dispel misconceptions about the Chicago's air quality that he said were based on outdated IOC research.
"We provided detailed information about the 10-year history of air quality and projections of air quality to 2016," he said.
Chicago's accessibility took center stage during a Paralympic Games presentation.
"Because of the commitment to accessibility features, there is very little that needs to be done to the city itself," said Linda Mastandrea, Chicago 2016's Director of Paralympic Sport and Accessibility.
Mastandrea said she told the IOC that the Paralympic Games budget is $188 million -- double that of the Atlanta Games of 1996.
A much-discussed component of Chicago's bid is that most of the events will be held within walking distance or a short drive of each other, the proposed Olympic Village and cultural destinations -- but there is one notable exception.
Bicycle road racing would be held in Madison, Wis. and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle came to Chicago on Monday to tell IOC members that the route is "spectacular." He said it's also close to Chicago, and may soon be getting closer.
Doyle said he told the IOC team he is confident that part of the federal economic stimulus package will include funding for a high-speed rail system connecting Chicago to Milwaukee and Milwaukee to Madison.
"We would fully expect that by 2016 that people would be able to get on good modern passenger rail [system] moving at much higher speeds than we're accustomed to in the United States," Doyle said.
He said he expects a trip from Madison to Chicago would take only about two hours.