Chicago Olympic Panel has a brand plan.

As much as today already feels like Thursday, the year 2016 is right around the corner. So, a U.S. Olympic Committee claims they have an 'elegant' venue idea for Chicago. Chicago's global status has put it in the running with Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco; all of these cities are set to present their bid Friday to the Committee in La Jolla, CA.

Because Chicago doesn't have a venue able to seat 80,000 people for the opening and closing ceremonies or the track and field events, our civic and corporate leaders have been exploring other possibilities. Ideas for a temporary stadium are in the works, one that will transform into housing after the games.

The catch is -- no one really knows what this 'elegant' idea is. Architects, corporate sponsors, and community organizers are all in the dark until after the presentation to the USOC. Until then, the buzz is out about the secret "elegant venue idea."

While everyone is curious and talking, Mayor Daley says, "When we do things in Chicago, we do them right, but we have to make sure we have a complete understanding of cost and revenue implications before, of course, we commit to a bid."

This July, Chicago hosted Gay Games VII, a worldwide event drawing in people from over 80 countries and endless revenue. Opening and closing ceremonies were at Soldier Field and Wrigley Field, with events held all over the city including Evanston. If Chicago is big enough to hold over 200,000 'fabulous' athletes, I'm sure the USOC can create an 'elegant' venue idea for the 2016 Olympics.