[Paul Richards]

Hello,

Last week golf was nominated as a new Olympic sport for the 2016.  I believe on October 2 the IOC will announce the selection of the host city.  Hopefully that city will be Chicago.  I am making it known that Chicago Highlands is interested in hosting the Olympic golf tournament.  Please spread the word.   If any of you have contacts with the PGA or LPGA please invite them to contact me.    

John Baxter
630-250-4925

http://www.chicagohighlands.com/index.php

======================

Chicago Highlands and the Olympic Golf Tournament

The course at Chicago Highlands will open in the Spring of 2010.  It is a championship course designed for the way professional golf is played today.  Chicago Highlands is in the unique position to be viewed as a course built to be the 2016 Olympic golf venue.  The course will be in its prime in 2016.  The Olympics deserve a new course to test the best men and women golfers in the world.

The course is built on 270 acres in the center of Chicagoland.  There are approximately 4.1 million people within a 15 mile radius.  The site is at the intersection of interstate highways I-294, I-290 and I-88 and very close to the many hotels and restaurants of the Oak Brook area.  With such a large site, Chicago Highlands has ample room for spectators, media, sponsor tents and vendors.  

There are several large fields within walking distance for spectator parking.  The Metra train station is 3 miles away.

Chicago Highlands is a uniquely styled course with massive gallery mounding and elevation changes not usually found in Chicago.  The ninth green is over 90 feet above the surrounding area, resulting in chamber of commerce views of the entire area including unobstructed views of the entire Chicago skyline.  The course also features a huge double ended all grass practice range.

Chicago Highlands is a private club owned by John Baxter, Tom Healy and Joe Hills.  The course is designed by Joe’s dad, Arthur Hills.  We want the 2016 Olympic golf tournament.   Please contact me for a tour.


John Baxter
630-250-4925
Chicagohighlands.com

[Paul OConnor]

Wow, how far in front of the horse is this cart?  A course that has not yet opened, is not yet complete, which has never hosted a tournament, let alone a major golf event, completely inaccessable by public transportation, and they want to host Olympic Golf?   

Good luck.

[tlavin]

What a joke!  Only a public relations guy would have such a big set of balls.

Chicago Highlands has the same chance of getting the U.S. Open.

[Paul Richards]

Last I checked, courses like Erin Hills and Chambers Bay, and maybe others were awarded events prior to their opening.

You might feel they are being a bit ambitious, but you should take a tour of the property and see it for yourself.

 

[Jim Colton]

I wondered why Arthur Hills got the job.

Best of luck to Chicago Highlands in this venture.  I can't blame them for trying.

[PCCraig]

If....and I mean IF golf and chicago collide in the Olympics I think it would be cool to have the Men play one of the big boys in town (Medinah, OFCC, Cog Hill...Chicago Highlands?) but then have the women play a neat older golf course that usually wouldn't be open to a big Men's tournament. How cool would it be to have the women play SA, CGC, Beverly, Glen View Club, etc... The overall chances are slim but a neat idea!

[Chris Flamion]

Got to give them credit for having the nerve to throw that out there.  I totally agree with Pat's idea of getting the women onto a course that the men just couldn't (or won't) play. 

I have a feeling thought that Cog would end up with the men's rounds, no idea why, just do.

On a side note it appears I am one of the few people who have little to no desire to see the Olympics here.

[Wayne_Kozun]

No disrespect to Chicago but it's time for the Southern Hemisphere to get the games.  I am rooting for Rio and Gavea Golf Club or Itanhanga Golf Club.

[Dale_McCallon]

Wow, how far in front of the horse is this cart?  A course that has not yet opened, is not yet complete, which has never hosted a tournament, let alone a major golf event, completely inaccessable by public transportation, and they want to host Olympic Golf?   

Good luck.

Wasn't the Ryder Cup given to Kiawah before it was finished?

[Chris Flamion]

Wayne-

I know I feel Rio deserves the games, but with a recent spike in crime it looks less and less likely.  They were the HUGE front runners after they hosted Pan Ams a few years back, the athletes had never been treated better than before those games.  I was at them as a member of the swimming contingent and was absolutely blown away with the entire area, the way we were treated and the quality of facilities are just 2 things that blew me away.  It would be a shame to see it go anywhere else, but I just can't see how they could maintain facilities with their crime problem at the moment.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I cannot believe someone had the courage to put an alabama elephant on GCA and in the post above mine no less. . Paul Paul Paul, how the great have slipped. It is ok to love your Home club but to promote this course out of all the courses in Chicago for the Oylmpics is beyond anything Pat R from the land accross the sea could dream up. To quote a dear friend " No one is going to buy that tripe"

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am with the tide guy on Rio's worthyness and negative issue.

[Mark Smolens]

Even tho the eminent Pat Ryan is leading the Chicago '16 contingent, here's another no vote for the olympics, from a fellow Wildcat no less. . . the recent Tribune article about one of the committee member's real estate holdings just happening to be located in an area sure to appreciate if we were unfortunate enough to get the olympics will be just the tip of the iceberg.  As Judge Gene Willens used to say when a sticky case got called back at Branch 29, "shit, I need this like I need another hole in my head. . . "  Let the folks in Rio deal with the IOC.  We got plenty of problems of our own, without creating some new ones with the olympics.

[Jim Colton]

What year did Millennium Park open here in Chicago?  2004?

[PCCraig]

Chicago will get the Olympics.

I was wrong.

[Joe Cesario]

Whoa there Mark!

Before you decide to start tossing around unfounded accusations about Chicago '16 committee members profiting from the games you need to recheck the story.  As it it turned out the story you reference ended up being completely baseless.  The committee member in question, had zero financial stake in the properties surrounding the site of the new Olympic stadium.  He was working with local groups and ministers to help them develop the land in their own community before someone got to it.  I'm sure if the Olympics come to Chicago there are plenty of clout-heavy folks who will profit.  But to accuse those trying to bring the games to Chicago of anything improper is irresponsible.   

[Mark Smolens]

"Completely baseless."    And they just happened to select Douglas Park, right next door. . .  Joe, I have no personal knowledge of the facts, only what has been reported.  And I've seen nothing demonstrating that the original article has been found to be without a basis.

I'm not saying that the folks on the Chicago '16 committee have done anything wrong.  They're not the problem.  It's our politicians that plainly and simply cannot be trusted. . .

[Paul Richards]

Tiger:

Why not try something new?

Cog Hill already hosts a PGA Tour event.

Medinah already hosts the PGA and has a Ryder Cup on the way.

OFCC - red-haired step-child of the USGA - "we'll give you your Amateur, but don't ask us for an Open...."

Butler - oops, the women can't play here....

 

[Tim_Cronin]

Paul mentioned what I understand to be the three main candidates. I'm not sure if there is an order of preference, but ...

Olympia Fields wants it because it gets the club in the spotlight, and because Amos Alonzo Stagg, one of the founders (and the original athletic director and football coach at Chicago, the "Monsters of the Midway") was an original backer of the Olympics. He and Baron Pierre deCoubertin corresponded on the prospects of the Olympics being supported by U.S. amateur sports before they resumed in 1896.

Medinah wants it because it won't have the PGA in 2016. Maybe 2018, the 100th PGA, if everything goes right.

Cog Hill wants it because it would be a golf happening in Chicago. You can park the world across the street from Dubsdread.

Additionally, Conway Farms wants it. There's almost no room for the needed infrastructure (TV compound, corporate tents, etc) at Conway, so I can't see it happening there. Olympia, Medinah and Cog have abundant room.

The preliminary plan is to play the two tournaments back-to-back, much like the Open and Women's Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in a few years. So I can't see two courses being picked.

I also can't see an Olympics in Chicago without the requisite palm-greasing. If Chicago wins the big show, my question is, which total will be higher, the number of golf medals the U.S. wins or the number of indictments eventually handed down for Olympics-related construction, bribery, etc. As Mike Royko once wrote, the city motto, "Urbs in Horto," translates to "Where's Mine?"

[JWinick]

I hate to say this, but I had a long talk to someone who is pretty tight with the IOC, and he feels that the Chicago has little shot.  With another winter olympics in North America in 2010, there are just too many olympic games in North America.   The appeal of going to Brazil, like the boost received by going to China, will be difficult to resist.

Chicago will get the Olympics.

[Tim_Cronin]

I hate to say this, but I had a long talk to someone who is pretty tight with the IOC, and he feels that the Chicago has little shot.  With another winter olympics in North America in 2010, there are just too many olympic games in North America.   The appeal of going to Brazil, like the boost received by going to China, will be difficult to resist.

Chicago will get the Olympics.

I'm guessing Madrid has the inside track. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., son of the former IOC boss, runs Spain's Olympic committee and is the head of the Madrid bid. IOC politics is like Chicago politics. It's who you know, and Juan knows everybody.

[Jeff Goldman]

I don't know much about holding the Olympic Golf event, but one thing we have been doing at Olympia Fields is an event with World Sport Chicago called The Olympia Fields Challenge, which is an outing using both courses where all proceeds go to World Sport Chicago and its effort to bring the Olympics to Chicago.  It is very cool, with Olympians playing with every foursome, and I  believe that it will include Bart Connor and Nadia Comaneci.  Silent auction includes a bunch of Olympic stuff, and, to top it off, a trip to Copenhagen with the committee for the announcement.

Even in this crummy economic environment the thing is practically sold out, so I think that at least the leaders and members of the Chicago business community want the Olympics here, despite all the disruption, etc. 

You can see the brochure here:

http://www.ofcc.info/files/OFCC_Materials_6.17.09REDUX.pdf

[David Kelly]

I hate to say this, but I had a long talk to someone who is pretty tight with the IOC, and he feels that the Chicago has little shot.  With another winter olympics in North America in 2010, there are just too many olympic games in North America.   The appeal of going to Brazil, like the boost received by going to China, will be difficult to resist.

Chicago will get the Olympics.

Well the British oddsmakers have Chicago as a big favorite to get the 2016 games. 

Bet365 has the following odds:
Chicago - 4/6
Rio -  7/2
Tokyo  - 9/2
Madrid - 8/1

Other oddsmakers give similar odds.

You can see the various odds at the various betting houses here:
http://www.oddschecker.com/specials/olympics-specials/2016-olympic-host

[Mark Smolens]

Are those the same oddsmakers who had agreed to pay off their TW bets on Saturday night??

[PThomas]

Are those the same oddsmakers who had agreed to pay off their TW bets on Saturday night??

those guys join Plaxico Burress as the latest additions to the "All- Time Stupid Team"..

imagine this:  you are a Super Bowl champ, you caught the winning pass, have all the money and whatever you want...and you piss it all away because you shot YOURSELF!

maybe he felt that because Vick was getting out the prisons needed a new football idiot...

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