Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (L) holds a news conference after the U.S. Olympic Committee announces Chicago as the U.S. 2016 Applicant City for summer Olympics, in Washington April 14, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Liang Jinxiong)

Chicago was picked by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) here Saturday to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games instead of Los Angeles, which hosted the Olympics twice before.

USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth, chairman of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics' Organizing Committee, opened a sealed envelope and revealed the winning city.

"It was a very tough decision," he said before opening the envelope, "If I had all the power -- and sometimes people accuse me of that -- I would take the map and merge the two cities....and we would all be better off."

Chicago, the third largest U.S. city with a population of more than 2.84 million, has never hosted an Olympic Games and now is to face a field of international competitors that is expected to include Tokyo, Madrid, Prague, Rome and Rio de Janeiro.

The International Olympic Committee will choose the 2016 Games site in October, 2009 in Copenhagen.

The last American city to host the Summer Olympics was Atlanta in 1996.

"It's just beginning and it's a long road," said Patrick Ryan, Chicago's bid committee chairman.

Chicago offered a bid that hinges on building new facilities, mostly situated around the downtown lakefront and nearby parks. The centerpiece would be an 80,000-seat, $366 million temporary Olympic Stadium that would be built in historic Washington Park.

Five cities took part in the USOC's process for 2016 Games a year ago. Houston and Philadelphia were first eliminated last year and followed by San Francisco.

Los Angeles made a bid to host the 2012 Olympics, but was passed over as a U.S candidate in favor of New York City. London was eventually chosen by IOC to host the 2012 Games. Beijing will hold the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Editor: Donald