Sportsman's http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=8222 people had mentioned this place as a site for the firehouse, so i figured i'd throw this out here for all to see... just talks about some plans for it and (ongoing) problems with those plans
Re: Sportsman's For the moment, ignoring the likely political thievery involved here, do you think they know about the tool crib in LA?
Before this discussion even gets off the ground, does anyone know what kind of pull Daley has with Cicero? I know that Cicero is notoriously . . . . well, notorious. I also know that it was a place that developed as a hot spot for "family" businesses because people were looking to get out of Chicago. Is that still the case? The next question is whether this developer can actually pull off his plan. We could certainly add a cash component to the equation, but there would have to be benifits to go around. It's sad that we really can't talk about a Firehouse in Chicago, but that appears to be the reality.
Sportsman's Cushman and Wakefield had originally shopped around the property last fall. They were pushing it as a mixed industrial/shopping development. The final bids were supposed to be in the hands of the real estate agent by November, but I guess that they were unable to get any sort of interest. In any case, I would bet that because the commercial real estate market is dead, Cicero will buy the land and hold onto it until they can get someone to build on it. I would bet anything that they will not build a soccer stadium there. Bill Q.
Sportsman's When they mentioned a possible indoor faciltity how far would that be from the new one in the city? Speaking of suburban developments what ever happened to the proposed arena that was to be built in Mt Prospect? They were to get a indoor soccer franchise.
hmmmm Actually, this would be a great location for the Fire. it has very good access from pretty much all directions except due north, the site is big and there are no neighbor NIMBYs. The problem is of course, the town's well deserved reputation. It doesn't surprise me that they would want to get in bed with Sal DiMucci, whom, shall we say, is not a guy to screw with. Would they consider the Fire? Don't know. Have to believe Richie would try to block it.
Cicero's just gross in general. Trust me I live like less than a quarter mile away from it. I don't see how Sportman's Park is a good location. There are no shops or restaurants in close proximity. And ugh, I don't want to imagine the traffic congestion.
Re: Sportsman's It was supposed to be in Prospect Heights. Their web site is still up, but the project appears to be dead. The developers have stopped returning phone calls from the city.
Re: Re: Sportsman's It was cancelled when the track owners put the property up for sale. It stayed on the schedule for a while as a "tentative" date in the hope that CART could arrange another track rental deal like the one that saved it last year or find another venue, but has now disappeared.
damn it. Do you think there will be a CART street race on Lake Shore Drive co-insiding withh the Taste of Chicago festival?
It would be impossible to do one at the same time as Taste of Chicago. Almost any plausible Grant Park course would go directly through the festival site. There have been rumors of a Chicago street race for some time now, but I doubt that it will happen (possibly because I don't want it to - CART is moving towards urban events because they think they can market them better, but most street courses don't make for particularly good actual racing).
From today's Tribune Money, politics fuel Sportman's battle The gist of the article is that Cicero town officials are trying to get the property for a discount in order to sell it to a major campaign contributor, and have refused to talk to other potential buyers.
Re: From today's Tribune From what I understand those 'soccer fields' are as an indoor soccer complex.
Nobody is looking to give that land away and that is the only way the fire would build a stadium there.