CHICAGO MAYOR DALEY PROMOTES 2016 OLYMPIC BID

UNCLAS BARCELONA 000176 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR/WE FOR CLEMENTS/CERVETTI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP PREL SP SUBJECT: CHICAGO MAYOR DALEY PROMOTES 2016 OLYMPIC BID ¶1. (U) Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, accompanied by a delegation of eight including Aon Corporation and Committee 2016 chairman Patrick Ryan, Richard Karr, Chairman of International Organizations Department/Sister Cities Program, and Mrs. Margaret Daley, visited Barcelona November 19-22 to push Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The delegation came to Barcelona to gain insights from the city's experience hosting the games in 1992. New Barcelona mayor Jordi Hereu hosted the Chicago delegation and offered tours to the Olympic sites, many of which continue to be used today. ¶2. (U) While here the delegation held a number of meetings with current and former Olympic officials, including regional President Pascal Maragall, former International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch, former Barcelona mayor Narcis Serra, and Josep Miquel Abad, General Manager of the Barcelona Olympic Committee. A center piece of the visit was Mayor Daley's November 20 presentation to the American Chamber of Commerce where he presented a slideshow highlighting Chicago's merits as an Olympic city candidate. At a lunch hosted by the CG, Mayor Daley exchanged views and information with several business executives, who were important to bringing the Games to Barcelona. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Mayor Daley told his interlocutors he was here "to learn from the Catalans how they continue to draw on the success of the Games fourteen years on." He did not leave disappointed. The delegation will return to Chicago with a number of well-received ideas that will be useful should Chicago's candidacy prove successful. Barcelona officials were forced to tread lightly with this visit since Madrid is also advancing in its effort to hold the 2016 Games. End Comment. ROBINSON