A surprise announcement from the White House today that the G-8 Summit will be held at Camp David, instead of the City of Chicago.
World leaders are still expected for the May 20-21 NATO meeting, including most of the Group of Eight leaders who will meet in Camp David earlier the same weekend.
“We wish President Obama and the other leaders well at the G-8 meeting at Camp David and look forward to hosting the NATO Summit in Chicago. Hosting the NATO summit is a tremendous opportunity to showcase Chicago to the world and the world to Chicago, and we are proud to host the 50 heads of state, foreign and defense ministers from the NATO and ISAF countries in our great city May 19-21.”
— Rahm Emmanuel
Speculation exists about the change of venue. Did security risks and risks to property turn out to be unmanageable? Was it a test to flush out protest planners and logistics?
Camp David is said to be inaccessible to protestors.
Apparently Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel was not aware of the change until after the announcement from the White House today. Even a U.S. Secret Service agent at the Chicago office was not tipped to the change. Meetings were planned for G-8 Chicago this week.
In mid-February, news came that Chicago police spent over $190,000 in stat-of-the-art helmet shields and special armor for horses.
To many people from the outset it seemed to an unbearable load on city resources and businesses to host both meetings on the same weekend.
The Chicago NATO Summit is set for May 20-21, 2012.