Chicago bids for 2016 Olympiad
Chicago is a long way from Dresden, Germany, but David and Sheila Heiser made the trip to begin stating a case for hosting the 2016 Olympiad in the beautiful city of Chicago. The founders of a hugely-successful Renaissance Knights Chess organization, David went to Dresden with his wife to lobby for the bid.
The Chess Drum’s Daaim Shabazz met David at a FIDE General Assembly session and received a briefing. Surprisingly, there has never been an Olympiad hosted in the United States. The city is also bidding for the 2016 Olympics and has just passed a review with flying colors from the Olympic Committee.
On their promotional website, they explain some of the history of Chicago’s chess events.
Besides being the birthplace of Bobby Fischer, Chicago has a long history with hosting chess tournaments. Chicago hosted the 1983 World Youth Team Championship, the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship in 1968, 1970, 1978 and 1999, and the US Open 14 times between in 1903 and 2006. In addition to the many tournaments and events held each year, the annual Chicago Open is one of the most attended chess tournaments in the United States.
Of course, Chicago is one of the most celebrated cities when it comes to professional sports and is known for its picturesque skyline, world-class restaurants, shopping, museums and parks. Abutting Lake Michigan, there are plenty of venues that could successful house the Olympiad. A city of excitement and tremendous diversity, Chicago has the some of the finest educational institutions in the world and is one of the biggest tourist and convention cities in the world.
The summer months are filled with festivals, parades and free concerts in beautiful Millennium Park. Navy Pier is also a popular venue. The last international event held in Chicago was the 1983 World Youth Team championship at the University of Chicago. The city also has the famous North Avenue beach along Lake Michigan where chess players usually play blitz. A city of great history and character, Chicago chess community hopes to make formal presentation at the next Olympiad in Russia.
Well, if there were visa problems in Dresden, just wait for Chicago. Even at the World Championship in Las Vegas in 1999, top players who had been in the US before struggled to get visas.
Visas are a concern but can be overcome with prior planning and having the State Department involved early on. My experience working for the State Department will be useful here, as will obtaining the support of key officials. I have already obtained a written letter of support from Senator Durbin and I am in communication with Senator Kirk to obtain his support.
As this is an international athletic competition, and IOC recognizes chess as a sport, the State Department has a special classification for athletes and persons accompanying the athlete to assist in an athletic performance for a specific event.
Athlete, professional
Receives no salary or income from a U.S.-based company/entity, other than prize money for participation in a tournament or sporting event. Try-outs for a professional team, but cannot remain in US playing on US team.
Athletes or team members who seek to enter the United States as members of a foreign based team in order to compete with another sports team shall be admitted provided:
(1) The foreign athlete and the foreign sports team have their principal place of business or activity in a foreign country;
(2) The income of the foreign based team and the salary of its players are principally accrued in a foreign country; and
(3) The foreign-based sports team is a member of an international sports league or the sporting activities involved have an international dimension.
Also, the US Visa process has provisions for foreign nationals to attend a conference (FIDE General Assembly) in the US
Brother Shabazz your a Chi-town boy ! me too! haha interesting coincidence perhaps? Mr. Heiser it would be great if you could get that event to Chicago , that way we can show out for President Obama before his last term , what a blessing America have in him!!! The whole world knows it too! haha