Chicago 2016 has developed a venue plan that is right for the Olympic Movement and right for the city. Our concept for the Games puts four venue clusters in the heart of our beautiful city, with its shops, restaurants, hotels, museums and theaters virtually steps away.

Our plan takes advantage of the lakefront, parks and neighborhoods—and, of course, the city’s passionate sports fans. Check out the gallery below for highlights of the proposed venue plan.

Chicago Venue Map

Chicago 2016’s design for the Games features an unusually compact venue plan split between four clusters. Venues in the Central and North clusters will feature Lake Michigan as their backdrop, while the South cluster will show off Chicago's wonderful parks and green space. Venues in the West cluster highlight Chicago's world-class indoor venues.

Olympic Stadium in Washington Park (Overhead View) — Opening and Closing Ceremony, Athletics

Chicago's Olympic Stadium, designed specifically for the 2016 Olympic Games, will rest on 100 acres in historic Washington Park. The stadium will host the Opening and Closing ceremonies, as well as the Athletics competition. The concept for this facility is both innovative and responsible; during the Games it will accommodate crowds of 80,000; post-Games it will be reconfigured into a community-friendly, 5,000 seat amphitheatre that will host sporting events, festivals, concerts and other cultural activities.

Olympic Stadium in Washington Park (North Gate View) — Opening and Closing Ceremony, Athletics

Chicago's Olympic Stadium, designed and built specifically for the 2016 Olympic Games, will rest in 100 acres of historic parkland in the Washington Park neighborhood. The stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics competition. This facility represents both innovative and responsible construction; with the ability to accommodate crowds of 80,000 for the Games, and then being reduced to a community-friendly, 5,000 seat amphitheatre post-Games.

Olympic Stadium in Washington Park (West Gate View) — Opening and Closing Ceremony, Athletics

Olympic Village

Located on Chicago's rapidly developing near south side just west of the lake, the Olympic Village will provide convenient, picturesque housing for 17,000 athletes and officials. Eighty-eight percent of athletes will be within 15 minutes of their competition venues. After the games, it will convert to mixed-income housing.

McCormick Place - Volleyball, Weightlifting, Handball, Wrestling, Judo, Fencing, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, Modern Pentathlon (Fencing and Shooting), Rhythmic gymnastics and Badminton

McCormick Place, one of the world's largest convention centers, will host eleven Olympic disciplines: volleyball, weightlifting, handball, wrestling, judo, fencing, taekwondo, table tennis, modern pentathlon (fencing and shooting), rhythmic gymnastics and badminton, as well as the International Broadcast Center and Main Press Center. Each of the four McCormick Place buildings (Lakeside Center, North, South, and the new West center) will hold several events.

Olympic Sports Complex at Northerly Island — Beach Volleyball, BMX, Track Cycling

The Olympic Sports Complex at Northerly Island will play host to three exciting and popular sports: Beach Volleyball, BMX Cycling, and Track Cycling. Northerly Island will provide a dramatic setting for what promises to be some of the most thrilling competition of the Chicago 2016 Games.

Olympic Tennis Center at Lincoln Park — Tennis

Entering via the historic clock-tower building, athletes and the rest of the Olympic Family will enjoy a lakeside tennis experience with spectacular views of Chicago's skyline to the South.

Lakefront Rowing Course — Rowing

The Lakefront Rowing Course will be one of the most picturesque venues of the 2016 Olympic Games. Rowing and Canoe-Kayak / Flatwater events will take place in one of Chicago's most treasured harbors, facing Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park and the skyscrapers that create the quintessential view of the City.

Olympic Whitewater Course at Lincoln Park — Canoe-Kayak: Slalom

Popular Lincoln Park will serve as home for one of the Games more dramatic competition venues. The excitement of watching the world's best whitewater kayakers in the midst of the city will be spectacular.

UIC Pavilion — Boxing

As host of the 2016 Olympic Boxing events, the UIC Pavilion will continue Chicago's proud tradition of amateur boxing (champions Joe Louis and Ernie Terrell earned early amateur recognition in the Chicago Golden Gloves). UIC's Pavilion hosted the Yugoslavian and Russian National Basketball teams in games against the USA and the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, among others.

United Center — Gymnastics, Basketball

The United Center, one of Chicago's premier indoor sports facilities, is home to both the Chicago Bulls professional basketball and the Chicago Blackhawks professional hockey teams. The United Center will host the Olympic gymnastics competition and the basketball finals.

Soldier Field — Football (Soccer) preliminaries and finals

The renovated Soldier Field (2003), site of the opening game for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, has played host to many top international football matches and will host the Olympic football competition.

Chicago State University — Basketball Preliminaries

Chicago State's new Convocation Center, home to the university's NCAA Division I basketball team, will serve as one-of-two preliminary basketball venues.

Allstate Arena — Basketball Preliminaries

Allstate Arena will host some of the basketball preliminary games. It is one of the largest indoor facilities in the Chicagoland market, and has hosted a number of international sports competitions, including basketball, volleyball, and boxing.

Northwestern University (Ryan Field) — Football (Soccer) Preliminaries

The newly renovated Ryan Field, sits on the idyllic lakefront campus of Northwestern University and will host preliminary football matches.

Northern Illinois University (Huskie Stadium) — Football (Soccer) Preliminaries

The Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Stadium will host preliminary football matches.

University of Minnesota (TCF Stadium) — Football (Soccer) Preliminaries

TCF Stadium will be the newest stadium in the storied Big Ten conference of American College Football. Located in Minneapolis and scheduled to be completed in 2009, the stadium is designed to accommodate international football competitions.