C
hicago 2016 announced today that it will host a celebration event on July 14 at Millennium Park to honor the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games and the U.S. Olympic team, as well as Chicago’s selection as a Candidate City in the bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The International Olympic Committee announced its Candidate City selections on June 4, bringing the city one step closer to the privilege of hosting the Olympic & Paralympic Games.
The fundraising event, suitably titled “Chicago Believes,” will begin at 4:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn at Millennium Park and will feature demonstrations from Olympians, Paralympians and Olympic hopefuls from a variety of events. Dinner for ticketed guests will be held at 6 p.m. and will feature international menu offerings from some of the world’s top chefs.
A variety show at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion will begin at 8:00 p.m., celebrating great Chicago Olympic moments and will include performances by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bandoleros, Hubbard Street Dance, the Anti-Gravity Boots Team, a local gospel choir and Chicago’s own world-class tenor Rodrick Dixon. In addition to the ticketed seats there will also be free seating available for 7,000 people on the Great Lawn.
Also during the event there will be opportunities to sign up as a bid volunteer, donate to the bid and purchase Chicago 2016 merchandise. Food and drink concessions will also be available throughout the evening.
Co-hosts of the event will be Mayor Richard M. Daley and Patrick Ryan, the chairman and CEO of Chicago 2016.
Dinner tickets are available for guests starting at $500.00. There are limited seats available for the performance only for $100. Seats on the Great Lawn are free of charge. Reservations can be made by calling (312) 578-2016. More information is available at www.chicago2016.org.
Chicago 2016 would especially like to thank the Co-Chairs of the event. These individuals, families, businesses, and foundations have donated at least $100,000 or provided $1 million in kind to Chicago 2016. There are still opportunities available for anyone who would like to join the existing Co-Chairs of the event. The “Chicago Believes” Co-Chairs:
If you are unable to attend the event but would like to donate to Chicago 2016, please visit our donation page.
Abbott
Accenture
The Allstate Corporation
The Alter Group
Tony Anderson (Ernst & Young LLP)
Aon Corporation
AT&T
Bank of America
Carol Bernick (Lavin Family Foundation)
Robert Blackwell Jr. (Electronic Knowledge
Interchange)
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois
The Boeing Company
Booz Allen Hamilton
Boston Consulting Group
John and Jacolyn Bucksbaum
John and Rita Canning
Charter One
CME Group, Inc.
CNA
The Crown Family
Deloitte
Janet and Craig Douchossois
John A. Edwardson (CDW Corporation)
Exelon Corporation
Fred Eychaner
Mr. and Mrs. W. James Farrell
Michael and Jacky Ferro (Merrick Ventures, LLC)
Foley & Lardner
Bon and Holly French
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher B. Galvin
Goldman Sachs & Co.
William M. Goodyear, Jr. (Navigant Consulting, Inc.)
James A. Gordon (The Edgewater Foundation)
Sabrina and Antonio Gracias (Valor Equity Partners)
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Terence M. Graunke and Paul Yovovich (Lake Capital Management)
Ken and Anne Griffin
Grosvenor Capital Management, L.P.
Guggenheim Partners
Harris Family Foundation
Harris Bankcorp, Inc.
Jay L. Henderson (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
David G. Herro
Huron Consulting Group
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. John W. Jordan II
JPMorgan Chase
Mr. and Mrs. Bryant Keil
Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Keiser
Kirkland & Ellis
KPMG LLP
Kraft Foods
Mr. and Mrs. Fred A Krehbiel
Eric Lefkofsky (Media Bank – Innerworkings)
Lehman Bros.
Bruce C. Liimatainen (A. Finkl & Sons Co.)
Madison Dearborn Partners
Mayer Brown LLP
Brendan McDonagh (HSBC North America Holdings, Inc.)
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. McKenna
McKinsey & Company
Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Morrison
National City
Navistar International Corporation
Newedge Financial Inc.
Northern Trust
Dick and Peggy Notebaert
Patrick O’Rahilly (Aspen Marketing)
Penny Pritzker (Pritzker Realty Group)
M.K. and J.B. Pritzker (Pritzker Family Foundation)
RR Donnelley
W. Robert Reum (Amsted Industries)
J. Christopher Reyes (Reyes Holdings, LLC)
Lary D. Richman (PrivateBancorp, Inc.)
Desiree Glapion Rogers
J. David Rolls (The Chamberlain Group, Inc.)
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick G. Ryan
Sara Lee Corporation
Dr. Scholl Foundation
Samuel C. Scott III (Corn Products International, Inc.)
Sidley Austin LLP
Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP
Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation
Fred L. Turner
UBS
United Airlines
USG Corporation
Christopher P. Valenti
VSA Partners
Mr. and Mrs. Reeve Byron Waud
Bruce and Beth White
Dean and Barbara White
William Blair & Company
Aldo C. Zucaro (Old Republic International Corporation)
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About Chicago 2016
Chicago 2016 is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to seek the privilege of hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Chicago. The committee’s board comprises business, civic, athletic, cultural and academic leaders representing Chicago and the surrounding Midwest region. Patrick Ryan serves as chairman and CEO. Contact: Mica Matsoff, 312-861-4826, media@chicago2016.org.