Chicago Sun-Times: Next up for Meigs: Concerts of 10,000

[Tweed]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-music08.html

"The Chicago Park District is likely to approve a deal Wednesday that will allow concert promoter Clear Channel Entertainment to build a new 10,000-seat music venue on Northerly Island, the former site of Meigs Field.

The venue is described as "an open-air boutique amphitheater." It will be located at the northern end of the peninsula, occupying about 6 of its 91 acres, and the Park District says it could generate $800,000 a year to fund further development at the site.

The country's largest concert promoter, one of the biggest radio chains and owner of the 30,000-capacity Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, Clear Channel was one of two bidders that responded to a request for proposals in November. It beat out local concert promoters Jam Productions.

Clear Channel already is soliciting acts to perform on Northerly Island this summer. It has distributed a brochure to agents and managers saying that, "Where airplanes once landed, Chicago's next great concert facility is preparing for take off."

Okay then...

[XNASA]

1. Clear Channel, huh.......

Count me out.

[wtbymark]

2. i wont play there

[vptpt]

3. Isn't Meigs Field...

the place where Mayor Daly had the runways or something torn up at midnight on a Saturday? Something crazy like that? But then, it seems everything he does is crazy on some level.

[Tweed]

4. Yep, that's the runway

It's downtown, right off the lake by one of the most popular harbors. To get to the concert, people will have to take a ferry. The island is literally 200 feet from the lake, but still, people can't swim there.

[billyf65]

11. Northerly Isl.

You can drive/walk/bike there. It's really more of a peninsula.

[Us vs Them]

5. Ummmm...

What about the new amphitheatre just a mile north at that wonderful ejaculation of taxdollars, Millennium Park?

Oh well, I'm sure it will all work out for the best. Clear Channel is such a responsible monopoly, with realistic ties based in logical assessment.



We can just ignore the fact that they are a propaganda tool like we can ignore the fact that there used to be an airport there!

[Tweed]

6. But think of all the suburbanites that will come into the city!

Won't that be awesome? They will probably end up hanging around the 1000 block of S. Michigan Ave too! That will be great for local business after the concert.

[Us vs Them]

7. Oh, like that gas station where people get shot at? Or the

Jewel with its own security force? Will they open a Disney store with bulletproof glass?

Sarcasm aside, I've been trying to come up with a viable way for the city to make money with that wreck of land they used to call Meigs Field. As much as I'm to blame for not yet bringing any new ideas to the table, I have serious doubts that Rod Stewart concerts are the answer.

[progressivedancer]

8. well

at least they aren't using taxpayer money. I also want to emphasize that this is a temporary concert ground, I hope it stays for only three years and that the city will retract the two 1 year extensions. The park distric needs the money and bargaining with Satan himself (clearchannel)was the only way they could.

I'm happy Meigs Field is no longer an airport. I believe that the way it was destroyed was questionable, but the transformation of Meigs into natural parklands will be in keeping with the Burnham Plan of 1909. This means a lot to Chicago and its citizens.

[Tweed]

9. Welcome to DU Illinois Forum!

Be sure to sign in at the Illinois County by County thread. Thanks for the info. I didn't know some of the back history of Meigs. I knew it was torn up, used as an airport, etc. The park thing I did not know.

[Placebo]

10. I'll never forgive Daley for getting rid of Meigs Field.

And doing it sneaky and evil under the cover of darkness like a rat, the bastard. :grr:

[Logansquare]

12. I wasn't a fan of Meigs, but I agree that he shouldn't have done that

Daley governs like a petty dictator. A community leader in our neighborhood mentioned that in order to get improvements, we had to "make sure we didn't embarrass the Mayor," because he punishes those who do.