Chicagoans Stunned by First Round Loss

The air went out of the crowd at Daley Plaza upon hearing the news.

Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting, leading the crowd at Daley Plaza to let out an audible gasp.

It was a stark contrast from just moments earlier when thousands of Chicagoans were partying in anticipation of a succesful bid.

Scottie Pippen had the crowd primed for a giant shin dig as he was whipping up anticipation for a successful bid. 

"Anyone who says the city isn't for 2016 is kidding themselves," Pippen told the crowd. "After they make the announcement, the party begins."

It looks anything like a party now.

Thousands of people are standing in stunned silence .

The city was eliminated so quickly that some of the would-be revelers weren't sure what had happened. Some started asking if they had heard what they thought they heard.

"I've never really had a disappointment like this," said Ken Rudd, a 33-year-old salesman from Evergreen Park. "This is one of the saddest things I've ever seen."

Many stood for a few minutes, staring at the screen, and at least one flung his hands into the air in a crude gesture toward the TV screen.

Within seconds, people began filing out of the plaza.

Chicago was in a race with Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo and Madrid for the 2016 games.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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