DENVER — The latest spice to the rivalry between Northern and Southern California is a scramble for the Summer Olympics. Chicago is trying to keep the 2016 Games out of the Golden State altogether.

Chicago will vie with two other iconic American cities — San Francisco and Los Angeles — for what many consider to be the country's best shot in years at landing a Summer Games after the U.S. Olympic Committee eliminated Houston and Philadelphia from the running Wednesday.

However, the USOC won't decide until later this year whether to submit any bid to the International Olympic Committee.