Chicago Mob helps Fire? (I sure hope it is a joke)

Kevin Lindstrom · Mar 5, 2004

But does the guy HAVE to have a record? As a crooked COP?

Story: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-dome05.html

Threats alleged in dome's sale
March 5, 2004

BY SHAMUS TOOMEY Staff Reporter

A former owner of a Bridgeview golf dome slated to be the Chicago Fire's
indoor practice field claims he was forced to sell his stake in the dome
during an intimidating visit from a mob-linked man and a Village of
Bridgeview consultant, NBC5 reported Thursday.

The allegation by John LaFlamboy threatens to taint the southwest suburb's
feel-good story of luring the popular Major League Soccer franchise away
from Soldier Field and into a $70 million stadium to be built at 79th and
Harlem by 2006.

Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek denied any involvement with the alleged
LaFlamboy incident.

The World Golf Dome is about two miles from the stadium site. It sits along
the Tri-State Tollway on 77th Avenue. The village bought the dome in
November for $1.6 million with the Chicago Fire in mind, Landek has said.

In January, jubilant village officials popped champagne corks when the Fire
announced it had selected Bridgeview from a group of suitors. The village
now plans to let the Fire use the dome to practice when the weather is bad.

The village didn't buy the dome directly from LaFlamboy, according to NBC5.
Instead, they bought it from LaFlamboy's partner, Alan Gustafson, according
to the station.

But LaFlamboy, a real estate developer and builder, says he didn't want to
turn over the rights to his half of the business, and did so only because
he was under duress.

He told NBC5 he was pressured to sign over his stake for pennies on the
dollar to Fred Pascente, a convicted felon identified by the Chicago Crime
Commission in 1997 as a business associate of the Chicago Outfit. Nevada
banned Pascente, a former Chicago Police detective, from its casinos in
1999, citing alleged "unsavory" mob ties.

LaFlamboy said Pascente and onetime Bridgeview consultant Steve Reynolds
visited the dome on Sept. 12, 2003 -- a visit partially caught on
surveillance camera. Reynolds no longer works for the village, but assisted
Bridgeview last year in its efforts to lure the Fire to town, Landek told
NBC5.

LaFlamboy told NBC5 the men presented him with his own financial documents
for the dome as well as a document to sell his shares to Pascente for
$175,000. LaFlamboy said it was clear to him he had no choice but to sign.

"What am I going do?" LaFlamboy said. "What am I supposed to do? Call for
Superman? The game was about over there. If I had my car title, I would
have signed over the car, too. You don't know that position until you sit
in it."

LaFlamboy told the station he was never paid the $175,000, and was forced
to place a lien on the property in an attempt to recover it. That didn't
prevent the village from buying the property from Gustafson, however.

Landek issued a statement Thursday denying any involvement in the sale of
LaFlamboy's half of the business.

"The Village of Bridgeview legally purchased the sports dome from Alan
Gustafson," Landek said.

"Mr. LaFlamboy was never a party to the transaction. The Village of
Bridgeview had no dealings with Mr. LaFlamboy. I am not aware of any role
played by Mr. [Pascente], nor do I know him."

Gustafson told NBC5 the transaction was aboveboard.

Pascente and Reynolds could not be reached for comment, and the Chicago
Fire had no comment.
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I sure hope this is baseless. Surely it is. But again, does there have to be proof that there was a meeting? Does there have to be proof that the guy in question has a record?