Power in Dreams? The Spatial Effects of Chicago's Failed Olympic Bid

Plans change the world in subtle ways, through persuasive power with reframing effects, that precede their actual execution. We empirically tested this persuasive power, taking a failed Olympic bid as a case. Bidding entails making very detailed plans for sites and infrastructure that are not easily forgotten, even when another city is picked to organize the games. We chose Chicago to test whether a plan, despite being unsuccessful in the sense of not being executed, might still change a city. We sought spatial change that was caused by the Olympic plan. The study limited itself to effects on infrastructure, zoning, real estate ownership, and governance structures. Few lasting legacies, however, were found, warranting a discussion on what the conditions are to allow for a plans' persuasive power.; Abstract Plans change the world in subtle ways, through persuasive power with reframing effects, that precede their actual execution. We empirically tested this persuasive power, taking a failed Olympic bid as a case. Bidding entails making very detailed plans for sites and infrastructure that are not easily forgotten, even when another city is picked to organize the games. We chose Chicago to test whether a plan, despite being unsuccessful in the sense of not being executed, might still change a city. We sought spatial change that was caused by the Olympic plan. The study limited itself to effects on infrastructure, zoning, real estate ownership, and governance structures. Few lasting legacies, however, were found, warranting a discussion on what the conditions are to allow for a plans' persuasive power.