Bidding for the Games -- Chicago Adds Obama Insider; PyeongChang Gains Ally

Martin Nesbitt replaces Valerie Jarrett on the Chicago Olympic bid board. (The Parking Spot.com) When Valerie Jarrett, a close advisor to President Barack Obama, stepped down from the Chicago 2016 Board of Directors to assume her new responsibilities with the administration, the bid committee tapped another Obama insider to replace her.

Martin Nesbitt, the president and CEO of The Parking Spot, an owner and operator of off-airport parking facilities, not only has served as an informal advisor to Obama and was national treasurer of his presidential campaign, he's also played basketball with him.

Obama is a strong backer of the bid, but has not yet divulged if he will personally lobby for his hometown in Copenhagen, Denmark in October. It's generally acknowledged that an appearance by the president would give Chicago a tremendous boost.

Jarrett, the senior advisor and assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and public liaison, remains a strong advocate for Chicago.

"I was proud to serve on the board of Chicago 2016 since the inception of the bid, and I am confident that Marty will be a true asset in bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Chicago," she said in a statement. "While I must leave the board because of my new responsibilities, I will continue, along with the president, to be an ardent supporter of Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Nesbitt is also a trustee of Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art, the chairman of the board of commissioners of the Chicago Housing Authority and a member of the University of Chicago Laboratory School Board.

"I am honored to have been selected to serve on the Chicago 2016 Board of Directors," he said. "This is an exciting time in Chicago's history, and I'm eager to work with Chicago 2016's leadership team to present the city to the world as we pursue the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

South Korea Sports Chief Backs PyeongChang for 2018

After failed bids for the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, PyeongChang has acquired a major booster for a possible 2018 campaign.

Park Yong-sung, South Park Yong-sung endorsed the Pyeongchang bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics. (ATR)Korea's newly-elected sports chief, said he will strongly support the mountain resort about 112 miles east of Seoul, local media reported.

"PyeongChang is well prepared to host the Olympics," Park, who was elected last month as Korea Sports Council Chairman, said at a press conference. "I will back PyeongChang, if it is officially confirmed as South Korea's candidate."

PyeongChang plans to inform the IOC of its intentions by April.

Park, 69, a former IOC member, said he was not concerned that a win by Tokyo in the race for the 2016 Summer Games would derail PyeongChang's bid.

"There is no rule that the Olympics must be hosted by different continent members in rotation," he said. "Even if Japan gets the right to host the summer games, it will not affect PyeongChang's campaign."

Park also called for support from Moon Dae-sung, a taekwondo gold medalist in Athens, Greece who was elected to the IOC athlete's commission. He will have a vote at the IOC session in July 2011 in Durban, South Africa.

Park, who will be in office until January 2013, said he will try to upgrade South Korea's competitiveness in winter sports besides short track speedskating, in which the country wins most of its Winter medals.

Tokyo Green Initiatives

Tokyo 2016 has released plans for a "carbon-minus" Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of its plan to host the greenest Games in history.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's ten-year drive for a carbon-minus city includes utilization of existing facilities wherever possible, implementation of renewable energy sources for temporary venues and low-to-zero emission vehicles.

About $367 million has already been invested in the Carbon Minus Tokyo project, which will achieve a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the 2020 fiscal year, relative to the benchmark year of 2000.

Spanish PM: Madrid’s Success a Rational Conclusion

Luis Zapatero, the prime minister of Spain, said it is rational to think there will be success with the Madrid bid for the 2016 Olympics.

Speaking at a meeting for Spanish preparations for the 2012 Games, Zapatero said there were “well-founded Spanish PM Luis Zapatero said there are “well-founded reasons” to think Madrid will be successful. (Madrid 2016) reasons” to believe Madrid would be successful in hosting the Games, pledging the government’s full support in the endeavor.

“We did it very well in Barcelona and we are doing it very well in and with Madrid,” said the Spaniard.

Zapatero said the Spanish medalists in Beijing were “improving the image of Spain and defending it in the international sphere.” Speaking about the meaning of their victories, he pronounced, “This magnificent present is the prelude to an even more promising future.”

Doubts Arise for 2015 Pan Am Cities

The three cities in the race for the 2015 Pan American Games make a trek to Guadalajara, Mexico next week where they will have the chance to meet with executive committee members of the Pan American Sports Organization.

PASO will decide in October on a 2015 host – Bogota; Lima, Peru and Toronto are the bidders.

But there seem to be doubts over whether Lima will be able to move forward with its candidacy, despite payment of a $50,000 deposit required from the bid cities. A source in Lima tells Around the Rings he believes government support for a Pan Am Games is still uncertain.

And in Colombia, the tenor and leadership of the bid may be changing following the defeat this week of Colombia Olympic Committee President and IOC member Andres Botero for re-election.

Botero is the face of the bid among PASO voters and it remains to be seen if he remains part of the campaign. Botero says he believes the election of rival Balthazar Medina was the result of government interference, but has not indicated an interest in contesting the vote. Such a battle could destabilize the NOC in the final months of the campaign.

The Toronto/Hamilton bid moves forward without incident, government support in place for now. The NOC is firmly behind the bid with venues ringing Lake Ontario.

Tokyo Walks and Runs to Support Bid

More than 5,000 people from across Japan took part in a walk across central Tokyo's Rainbow Bridge in support of Tokyo 2016. More than 20,000 people had applied for the 7 km walking event, which Over 5,000 people participated in a 7K walk across Tokyo's Rainbow Bridge in support of Tokyo 2016. (Tokyo 2016)took participants through the proposed Heritage and Tokyo Bay Zones that will house the majority of Games venues in 2016.

The 2009 Tokyo Marathon on March 22 will also run past many of the proposed Olympic sites.

In addition, this will be the greenest Tokyo Marathon in its history. Athletes, supporters and officials will wear jackets and caps made from recycled polyester, travel in hybrid cars and buses to and from venues and use water cups made from thinned lumber. All 35,000 runners will also sport green shoelaces to raise awareness of global warming and the importance of environmental protection.

Beijing Olympic champion Dita Constantina of Romania will be a guest runner.

Written by Karen Rosen, Ed Hula and Ed Hula III.