Chicago has been selected by the US Olympic Committee to be the country's candidate to host the 2016 Summer Games.
The third most-populous US city beat rival Los Angeles in a "very, very close" vote, USOC Chairman Peter Ueberroth said after opening a sealed envelope and announcing the selection.
The International Olympic Committee will make its final decision which city will host the 2016 Summer Games in October 2009. Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Madrid, New Delhi and Qatar among others have expressed interest in making a bid.
Chicago's enthusiasm for hosting the games made it stand out during the selection process, Ueberroth said.
"All of a sudden this area of the country kind of awakened to the Olympic movement and stepped forward so aggressively," he said.
"They caught everybody's attention early."
Members of Chicago's delegation leaped to their feet and burst into cheers after the announcement. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley said he jumped out of his chair "like a little kid watching the Olympics," when the city's name was read.
The bid presents "a great opportunity for us as we move forward to really sell Chicago and America," Daley said
