The 13-member commission, which includes Britain's Sir Craig Reedie, will be taken on tightly choreographed tours of proposed Olympic venues, presentations of Chicago's plans for the Games accompanied by wining and dining through to next Tuesday.

 

After Chicago, the commission travels to Tokyo from April 16-19, Rio de Janeiro from April 29-May 2 and Madrid from May 5-8.

 

They then report back to IOC members, who pick the 2016 host city on October 2 in Copenhagen.

 

Handicapping the competing bids is a guessing game at best, but many analysts believe Chicago enjoys an edge because President Barack Obama can be expected to lobby on behalf of his home town, and the Summer Games have not been held in the United States since 1996 in Atlanta.

 

A  disadvantage for Chicago's bid is that its guarantee against financial loss is covered locally and not by the federal government, as with the other cities. Chicago and the state of Illinois, which offered the IOC a $750 million (£508 million) guarantee, have experienced budget deficits of late. 

 

Powerful Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has thrown his full weight behind the bid, ordering that city sights be spruced up and splashing colourful banners bearing the slogan "Imagine."

 

 

He met the first three members, Mounir Sabet of Egypt, former Russian swimmer Alexander Popov, and the Commission chairman Nawal El Moutawakel of Morrocco, arrived earlier today.

 

Daley accompanied El Moutawakel on her ride into the city.

 

She also headed the Evaluation Commission in 2005 which leaned toward Paris for 2012, but in the end, the IOC chose London.

 

The Evaluation Commission is made up of seven IOC members, six subject-matter experts and three IOC administration staff. 

 

The Commission is being welcomed with signs at O'Hare Airport and billboards along the way to a city decked out in all its Olympic finery.

A poll the city commissioned found three-quarters of the city's approximately three million residents want the Games there.

 

Hundreds of Chicago police officers surrounded City Hall earlier today protest coinciding with the IOC's arrival. Police have been without a contract since mid-2007.

 

Another community group dubbed "No Games Chicago" were to hold a downtown rally and march.

 

Asked about arguments that the city's planned $4.8 billion (£3.2 billion) Olympic budget could be better spent on needed housing, jobs and services.

 

Chicago bid chairman and chief executive Patrick Ryan said the IOC evaluators were well-acquainted with protests and fully expected them.

 

City officials have said hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games will generate $22.5 billion (£15.2 billion) in additional economic activity and thousands of jobs and will leave behind new sports facilities, a harbour, and housing.

 

Ryan is confident that the Evaluation Commission will be impressed by Chicago's plans.

 

He said: "They're going to see how close they really are; how easy they are to get to – the venues, to get to, and how close the village is.

 

"They're going to look at that Village site and say, 'This makes a lot of sense for a new development.'
 

 "I'm very engaged and excited about showing them the city

 

"We will make the city come alive for them.

 

"It is hard to envision it unless you see it for yourself.
 

"When you see 200 metres away from a venue there is a famous museum and then you look across the street and see good restaurants, then it is quite easy to envision.
 

"One out of town visitor who I showed the sites to the other day simply replied, 'This city was built for the Olympics'."

 

From tomorrow insidethegames editor Duncan Mackay will be providing exclusive on the scene coverage from Chicago on the visit of the IOC Evaluation Commission.