"Which countries have done well out of the Olympics?
The Los Angeles Games in 1984 were the first to make a profit since 1932, scooping a $1.4bn windfall for the city. Atlanta in 1996 also made a profit. However, the real benefits of hosting the Games are often to the host country’s economy. South Korea’s economy grew 12% in the year of the Seoul Olympics. The Sydney Games in 2000 boosted the Australian economy by $3.3bn. But perhaps the most successful Olympics of modern times were the Barcelona Games in 1992, which marked the start of an economic and cultural renaissance for the Catalan capital."

Chicago could use a boost in the economy and a cultural renaissance...