Let the Digging Begin

Located on the edge of town, the site of our Olympic village sits.  Eager construction workers and excavators have been chomping at the bit to begin work, so we decided to let them get a head start.  We took time yesterday while the sun the shining to visit the site and discuss future steps with the foreman, Johnny Jarones.  We decided right away that it only made sense for the village theme to have a woodsy, northern Minnesota motif.  We envision each housing unit in the village to resemble a log cabin.  Until the Oct. 2 decision provides us with final authority to move forward, we will continue to dig away week by week.  It’s a good thing for us that the rest of the summer is loaded with things to do in Ely, because if time allowed we’d be working on venues around the clock.

Show your support for our Olympic bid - send us a photo!

On October 2, 2009, the International Olympic Committee will meet in Copenhagen to select the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

In an effort to appeal to their sense of fairness, we’re putting together a video album of people showing their support for Ely’s Olympic bid.

If you have a t-shirt, sign or sticker with the Ely Olympic logo on it, send us a photo of you holding or wearing that logo and we’ll include it in our video. Or you can make your own sign by downloading the Ely 2016 logo from our recent post here or on our Facebook Group page. Or just write your own message to the IOC and hold it up.

Include your kids, your parents, your grandparents, neighbors, distant relatives, strangers on the streets. If you live outside Minnesota, include landmarks in your photos to show how widespread our support is. The more photos we have, the more support we can demonstrate, the bigger impression we can make on the IOC!

Send your photos ASAP to fun@ely.org. And check back here after August 15 to see the finished video.

JUST BE SURE TO SEND US YOUR PHOTOS BY AUGUST 10, 2009

Thanks for all your support in our bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics in Ely, Minnesota!

Download the Ely Olympic logo here

Want to create your own sign of support? Make a t-shirt decal? Put a sign in your window? Here's the Ely 2016 logo design for you to use however you wish to show your support for bringing the 2016 Summer Games to the pristine wilderness of Ely and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Just drag this .jpg file to your desktop and create your own design. Or go our Facebook Group site to get a few more designs.

Our Chicago Fans

Over the last couple of months our Olympic committee has received several messages through email and phone from our lovely friends down in Chicago.  Not to tell us to “give it up” or “throw in the towel” but to show their support for Ely.  In fact, hundreds of city clickers have even made the trip from Chicago to Ely and shown their support in-person.  We were apprehensive at first, after all it is a bit like sleeping with the enemy.  After we realized they were in town to enjoy the adventures that come along with Ely and NOT to sabotage our Olympic bid, we became flattered.

Recently, a man from Chicago stopped by our office and shared with us his love for Ely and the Boundary Waters.  He went on to tell us about an organization that formed for the sole purpose of persuading Chicagoans not to support the Olympic bid, No Games Chicago.  They’ve even gone as far as delivering the No Games Chicago “Book of Evidence” directly to the IOC.  The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization recently joined the group citing Chicago’s "long history of being unable to contain special projects costs" and the violation of the "initial promise that ‘not a dime' of taxpayer money would be used".

Our residents couldn’t be happier about our bid to host 2016.  Every window, lawn and storefront in town is showing support.  Maybe the committee members of No Games Chicago should wander up here and take a peek at what it means to be supportive to their hometown.   Of course, there is always a chance that like many, once they’re in Ely they won’t want to leave.

No "Love" for Ely?

After a win at Wimbledon this weekend, Serena Williams said in an interview, “I am praying that they (Chicago) get the Olympics because I think it would be really special to play there.”  Serena goes on to say she hopes she will be around for the 2016 Olympics so she can add an Olympic singles title to her list of life accomplishments.

Ok, now we understand that when two incredible US cities (Ely of course being more incredible) are vying for the same honor, most folks are going to pick a side.  But couldn’t Serena have offered just a smidgen of support for Ely? I mean all we’re asking for is a mention!  Maybe we should extend our “Minnesota nice” hand to her, and offer her a relaxing stay at one of our pristine resorts.  Perhaps after she experiences Ely, she’ll understand why we’re the best choice for 2016.

Until then, we’ll be pulling for Venus.