Oct 9, 2009 3:19 pm US/Central
Daley Rejects Idea Of Casino At Ex-2016 Site
Mayor Says Former Hospital Site To Be Made Into Mixed-Income Housing
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
-
-
Mayor Richard M. Daley has rejected the idea of placing a casino at the site once planned for an Olympic Village. "I don't know why everybody is going around, thinking casinos (are) the answer to all the problems of society," Daley said at City Hall.
CBS
Mayor Richard M. Daley shot down a suggestion by two Chicago aldermen that a casino and entertainment complex could be built at the Near South Side site once targeted for an Olympic Village.
"I would be against that completely," Daley said of the idea floated by Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) and Ald. George Cardenas (12th).
Mell told CBS 2 News Thursday that building a casino at the abandoned Michael Reese Hospital complex just blocks away from McCormick Place would help bring new business to the convention center.
"No, that would be unacceptable," Daley said at an unrelated City Hall press conference on Friday. "I don't know why everybody is going around, thinking casinos (are) the answer to all the problems of society."
Mayor Richard M. Daley has said the city plans to transform the Reese site into a mixed-income housing development. Originally, that would have happened after the 2016 Summer Olympics if Chicago had been selected as the host city.
Last week, the International Olympic Committee chose Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics. But Daley made it clear he still wants the Reese site to become a residential community.
"That is gonna be built (with) both affordable and market-rate housing, in regards to a new community. That was the concept. Even without the 2016 (Summer Olympics), there was never a concept of any type of casino or anything like that."
City officials have not yet announced any immediate plans for the land at the Near South Side site of the abandoned Michael Reese Hospital. But in the days since the city lost its bid for the 2016 Olympics, the mayor has said he's confident the site would eventually be developed.
The city bought the 37-acre hospital site for $86 million. That price went up to $91 million after Chicago's surprise first-round loss in the 2016 Olympic vote. If the property is not sold to private developers by 2014, the price would go up to $96 million.
The city must also pay $20 million for environmental cleanup at the site and tear down 20 structures before any development may take place.
Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th), whose ward includes the Reese site, said Thursday that she was not necessarily opposed to a casino at the site, but she wasn't thrilled about the idea.
Preckwinkle said it would make sense to build an entertainment complex near McCormick Place, including permanent exhibition space open to the public, restaurants and a theater.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Preckwinkle was set to meet Friday with city planning officials to discuss development of the site. It is the first such meeting since Chicago lost its bid for 2016.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Jewish Celebrities
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
