The NATO summit coming to Chicago later this month will give a $128 million short-term boost to the city’s economy, according to a projection released by the head of the host committee Monday.
That does not count any long-term benefits of raising Chicago’s profile.
City officials and Mayor Rahm Emanuel insisted Monday that taxpayers will not be on the hook for a single dime of the $55 million cost of the summit.
And guess who agrees this is bullshit?
Summit critics called the projection inflated and said other summits end up costing cities money when juries award protestors judgements against over-reaching police departments.
“Oh what a joke — I wish I was smoking what they’re smoking,” said Andy Thayer, an organizer with the Coalition Against NATO/G8. “You look at the history of these summits and cities usually end up paying out millions of dollars because of the excesses of city officials on protestors.”
But don't listen to Andy. How about the entire government of Canada?
- The Canadian government concluded the costs of the 2010 G8/G20 Summit in Toronto were $857 million.