No Games Chicago was an all volunteer group of concerned citizens who came together to oppose the bid for the 2016 Olympics. Overcoming tremendous odds and working with virtually no resources, this tireless group of dedicated activists tok on the most powerful people in American politics.
More info:http://www.nogameschicago.com, tom@tresser.com
2. ONE THE ONE SIDE, THE ENTIRE POLITICAL, BUSINESS AND MEDIA INFRASTRUCTURE OF CHICAGO, LED BY MAYOR RICHARD M. DALEY, LINED UP TO SUPPORT THE 2016 OLYMPIC BID .
3. NO DOWNTOWN CIVIC GROUP, GOOD GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION, THINK TANK, ACADEMIC INSTITUTION, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, PARKS GROUP OR GRASSROOTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION OPPOSED THE BID.
4. We sent the same delegation to Copenhagen for one last pass at the IOC...
6. TO DELIVER OUR LAST SET OF MATERIALS TO THE IOC, WE HAD TO GET PAST THE ARMY, THE POLICE THE SECRET SERVICE AND THE 2016 COMMITTEE’S OWN PRIVATE SECURITY DETAIL.
7. POST CARD MAILED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE IOC IN SEPTEMBER AND HAND DELIVERED IN COPENHAGEN.
32. (1) WE WERE TOLD BY A VERY SENIOR OFFICIAL INVOLVED IN BID STRATEGY THAT “WHEN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR A BID DROPS BELOW 50% - YOU’RE COOKED.” … AND SINCE WE WERE THE ONLY SOURCE OF CRITICISM FOR THE BID,WE CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR INFORMING THE PUBLIC. AND THE MORE THEY FOUND OUT, THE LESS THEY LIKED IT…
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34. BUT THAT WAS JUST PART OF OUR WORK… THERE WAS NO ONE, OTHER THAN NO GAMES CHICAGO, THAT INFORMED THE IOC OF THIS SHIFT IN PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
35. (2) A VERY HIGH OFFICIAL INSIDE THE IOC, ITSELF, SAID THIS POST CARD AND HAND-OUT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE. ALSO, WE WERE RESPECTED FOR COMING TO THEIR TURF TWICE.
36. (3) WE KNOW THAT BETWEEN 10 AND 20 IOC MEMBERS OPENED EVERY ONE OF THE EMAILS WE SENT THEM. A FEW KEY MEMBERS OPENED ALL 70 DAILY UPDATES!