During the summer of 2016, all eyes will be on Chicago. Across the globe, twenty four hours a day, the city’s bold skyline will fill television screens, Web pages and newspapers as millions watch the finest athletes in the world compete for Olympic gold in America’s Midwestern metropolis.

Or at least that’s the vision that some Chicagoans have for the 2016 Olympic Games, whose host will be officially named in 2009. Chicago is one of only two cities in America still eligible for consideration, and many locals are taking the bid very seriously.

“The history of Chicago is one of great plans and even greater accomplishments,” boasts Mayor Richard Daley on the Web site of the Chicago 2016 Bid. “We believe hosting the games will solidify Chicago’s position as one of the great cities of the world, and, in the process, strengthen the Olympic movement.”

Daley has championed the effort to bring the Games to Chicago, laying out bold plans for new sports venues and touting the city’s existing infrastructure as ideal for any Olympic contest. On July 26, the mayor’s initiatives began to pay off when Chicago was chosen as one of only three U.S. cities still under consideration.

On Monday, San Francisco abandoned its bid, leaving only Los Angeles to compete with Chicago for the favor of the U.S. Olympic Committee, which will make its decision in 2007. Once the American contender is announced, it will be up to the International Olympic Committee to choose between all candidate cities worldwide.

“We believe the time is right for the games to return to the United States, and we think Chicago is the right place to have that happen,” said Patrick Sandusky, spokesperson for the Chicago 2016 Bid Committee. “We’re offering a centrally-located, compact games that is centered around the athletes, more than eighty percent of whom would be able to be located within about fifteen minutes of their competition venues.”

The city’s plans are centered around the use of dozens of existing athletic arenas as well as the construction of a temporary 95,000-seat Olympic stadium in Washington Park, where the opening and closing ceremonies would be held. This stadium would be partially dismantled after the games in order to reduce capacity to 10,000, making it appropriate for local sporting events.

According to the Bid Committee, city officials including local aldermen are very supportive of the plan, and opinion polls show that many residents look favorably on the prospect of hosting the Olympics.

“People have been very supportive from the beginning, on the street and in opinion polls,” Sandusky said. “Upwards of 80 percent of Chicagoans want to host the Games. There’s a huge buzz in the city.”

Although U.S. Olympic Committee officials were unable to comment on the ongoing evaluation and assessment process, Vice President Bob Ctvrtlik released a statement earlier this week regarding the race between the two remaining contenders.

“Chicago and Los Angeles are dynamic cities, each with its own distinct vision for hosting the athletes of the world,” he said. “Should we proceed with a U.S. bid for the 2016 Games, choosing between these two high-quality candidates will not be easy.”

Supporters of Chicago’s efforts remain confident that, in spite of the close competition between the cities, their hometown will eventually come out on top.

“We think Chicago has great chances, obviously, or we wouldn’t be in this thing,” Sandusky said. “We’ve really got a compelling vision.”