Lord of the Rings.

That's the mission of the real heavy hitters of the Chicago scene as they engage in last minute politicking and ego massaging of the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen.

At stake is Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Games.

And so as Oprah, Michelle Obama and the man himself, President Barack Obama, convene with Mayor Richard Daley in Denmark along with the Chicago bid organizers, we wait for word tomorrow morning to see if efforts will pay off in Chicago's favor.

If online betting is any indication, Chicago is the odds on favorite over backdrafter Rio. Not being a betting man myself, I don't quite understand what 8-11 odds mean except that if you make a $5 bet on Chicago you will get your five bucks back along with another $4.

I'm not so interested in the betting return, but I and the team at The Real Estate Lounge Chicago are comforted by the fact that Chicago appears to be the front runner. Don't get me wrong, I love Rio and have a genuine ardor for South America. I look forward to when Nicole and I are able to hike to Machu Picchu with the boys.

But when it's all said and done I am a homer for my hometown of Chicago.

I think Chicago will be a fantastic choice to host the Summer games in seven years, turning a welcoming embrace to the world community and elevating one of the loveliest city's in North America to an enhanced international status. Surely we already serve as a destination point for numerous folks from abroad.

But there's room for more.

Just as there's room for more international dollars in things ranging from the Chicago real estate market to local businesses.

And so tomorrow morning at about 11am Chicago time or a half hour later what I hope rings true is that the Olympic rings will rise in Chicago in 2016. And just as we wowed the world with the Columbian Exposition in 1893, we will do the same as host for the world's games.

And who knows, maybe the stars will align themselves to such an extent that the good fortune will extend as far as the woe-begone Cubs, lifting them to a World Series crown.

Then again, maybe we should set our sights on what's realistic and stick to the 2016 Chicago Olympics bid.