"I was like a little kid watching the Olympics," Daley said in describing his elation at hearing U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Peter Ueberroth announce the city's name.

Daley and the city's Olympic organizers were in Washington today when the USOC picked Chicago over Los Angeles.

But there is much work to be done to make sure Chicago is ready for the international competition it will face. If Chicago is finally awarded the games, it will have to build many of its venues, including the Olympic stadium and athletes' village.

The International Olympic Committee won't award the 2016 Games until 2009. Other bidders are expected to include Madrid, Prague, Rome, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

"All Chicagoans can be proud that our great city now will represent our country in bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games," U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, a Democratic candidate for president, said in a written statement.

For Dan Foelske of suburban Batavia, it's Chicago's time to shine.

"It's time to show the world what the Midwest has — and Chicago is its crown jewel," Foelske said.

His 44-year-old wife, Pam, agreed.

"It's going to bring long-overdue exposure to Chicago," she said. "I think Chicago will beat out the other (international) cities trying to get the Olympics. It's Chicago's time."

The USOC's decision caps off months of work by a Chicago organizing committee that has proposed hosting a Games where athletes would compete at 25 venues mostly situated around the downtown lakefront and nearby parks.

Local organizers have said the Olympics would give Chicago a chance to show itself off to the world because billions of people watch the international competition.