Northwest Herald: WNBA welcomes Chicago franchise

[Tweed]

http://www.nwherald.com/SportsSection/299245188709038.php

"CHICAGO – A group of schoolchildren took over half of the basketball court under the bright lights of the UIC Pavilion, running drills with Tamika Catchings, Ruth Riley and other WNBA stars.

Pretty soon the rest of Chicago is going to get a closer look at the WNBA.

The league awarded an expansion team to Chicago on Tuesday, giving the WNBA its 14th team and returning women's professional basketball to the home of the Chicago Hustle.

The team will begin play in 2006 at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion.

"This is an amazing time," said Catchings, a Chicago native and a forward with the Indiana Fever."

The games are going to played at UIC Pavilion and this is going to be huge for the Near West Loop and UIC. Greektown and Little Italy are looking better and better everyday. There is so much construction going on over there. A lot of families will be bringing their daughters in from the suburbs to check this out. Hopefully they will stick around and see the new improvements. If nothing else, this will give the employees at the UIC Pavilion more opportunities for work (I think?).