This is the story of No Games Chicago with updates from the 2 /12 years since the games were awarded to Rio. Contact Tom Tresser @ tom at tresser dot com.

1. As told by Tom Tresser, No Games co-organizer, web master, spokesperson. 2012 UPDATE

2. In Chicago, in 2008, it was the 2016 bid all the time. Everywhere.

15. And opposing all that...

19. We did the research that no one else would do...

21. THE GAMES ALWAYS MAKE MONEY…FOR THE IOC, FOR CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, FOR CONSULTANTS, FOR CORPORATE SPONSORS… Montreal took 31 years to pay of Olympic debt! London 2012 games $16 billion over budget!

22. “ Financing is the biggest obstacle,” said Jerry Karlik, a principal at Kargil Development, which has done projects in the South Loop and responded to a bid committee request for expressions of interest in the Olympic Village earlier this year. “There’s going to have to be some sort of assistance: guarantees, tax credits or something. Mr. Karlik, who attended the luncheon, said he figures lenders today won’t finance more than 60% to 70% of a project, compared with 80% to 90% before the recession. “ Someone’s going to have to come to the table to fill the void,” he said.” May 13, 2009

25. VANCOUVER’S BOND RATING LOWERED, CITY FACING BANKRUPCY.

26. Watch the video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlzsyNh6pk MAYOR CALLS OLYMPIC VILLAGE A “ $1 BILLION BOONDOOGLE THAT VANCOUVER TAXPAYERS ARE STUCK WITH!”

27. Watch Francesca tell the truth…

29. We engaged the community...

30. January 31, 2009 – University of Illinois, Chicago

31. Dr. Chris Shaw, leader of Vancouver Olympic Opposition, author of “Five Ring Circus”

39. SUMMER 2009 THE MAYOR DEMANDS THE 2016 COMMITTEE GO INTO THE COMMUNITY… “ 50 WARDS IN 50 DAYS”

40. Sept 29 Anti-Bid Rally at City Hall Inside Outside

45. We were the ONLY source for the other side of the story...

49. We sent a delegation to the world HQ of the IOC in Switzerland...

52. Watch brief news clip from ABC News Chicago.

55. NO PRINT COVERAGE OF NO GAMES IN CHICAGO DAILY NEWSPAPERS!

58. Watch

59. “ I’m from the South Side…” YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHO MARTIN RAN INTO LAUSANNE IN OUR HOTEL LOBBY!

61. USED IN EVENING NEWS THAT NIGHT SEVERAL TIMES!

62. We communicated directly, daily with the IOC!

63. Email newsletter sent daily, starting July 23! One-a-day for 70 days!

64. POST CARD MAILED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE IOC IN SEPTEMBER AND HAND DELIVERED IN COPENHAGEN.

65. We sent the same delegation to Copenhagen for one last pass at the IOC...

67. We meet the delegates from No Games Tokyo!

68. The challenge – to deliver our materials to the IOC directly. The obstacle – tight security everywhere, including the Danish army, Copenhagen police, the Secret Service and the 2016 Committee’s own private security detail from Chicago!

72. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OPPOSES BID – OP ED PUBLISHED SEPT.20

76. Success!

77. OH, AND MARTIN MET HIS IDOL, PELE!

86. PLAY THE SOUND CLIP!

90. Across the street from the Copenhagen Plaza where the announcement was viewed...

95. CHICAGO 2016 RAISED ABOUT $90 MILLION. CHICAGO RECEIVED 18 VOTES.

97. THAT’S ABOUT $5 MILLION PER VOTE. EXPENSIVE, EVEN FOR CHICAGO’S MACHINE.

98. IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD’VE DONE WITH $90 MILLION IN THSE HARD TIMES!

99. Chicago, we dodged a cannon ball!

102. And that does NOT count $1 billion tab from Olympic village!

103. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-558211/London-2012-cost-20billion--TEN-times-original-budget-ex-Olympics-chief-predicts.html ORIGINAL BUDGET IN BID WAS 2.4 BILLION POUNDS!

105. LESSONS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AGENTS

109. FEBRUARY TRIBUNE POLL SHOWED 67% FOR OLYMPICS. EIGHT MONTHS LATER – ONLY 47% SUPORT. NO GAMES WAS THE ONLY SOURCE OF OPPOSITION. THE MORE PEOPLE FOUND OUT, THE LESS THEY SUPPORTED THE BID.