McCormick Place Events Center

McCormick Place Events Center
Location Chicago, Illinois
Owner Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority[1]
Operator Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority[1]
Capacity 10,000[1]
Construction
Broke ground 2015 (projected)
Opened 2017 (projected)
Construction cost $173 million[1]
Architect Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects[1]
Tenants
DePaul Blue Demons

McCormick Place Events Center (often referred to as DePaul Arena)[2] is a planned 10,000-seat sports venue that is expected to be built in Chicago's Near South Side community area and to serve as the home court for the DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball and DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball. The arena was announced in May 2013, with construction planned to begin in 2014, and use expected to begin with the 2016–17 season.[3] Although DePaul has been seeking a new home arena — it has used Allstate Arena in suburban Rosemont since 1980 — it rejected a November 2012 ten-year offer to play rent free at the United Center.[3] Instead, DePaul will use Allstate Arena on a recurring one-year basis until it has a new home.[3]

Planned construction

At the outset there were two different interpretations of the planned venue. ESPN has interpreted the plan as a 10,000-seat arena with a cost to tax payers of $103 million and total cost of $175 million. The Chicago Sun-Times has interpreted the plan as a 12,000-seat arena with public funding of $125 million out of a total spend $300 million.

Original 12,000-seat plan

Before the actual announcement, the arena was publicized by the Chicago Sun-Times as a 12,000-seat arena that would cost $300 million.[4] After the announcement, the Chicago Sun-Times reported an expected 12,000 seat venue, but with $125 million coming from public funds.[5]

10,000-seat plan

Upon announcement, ESPN reported the expected cost of the 10,000-seat arena, located on Cermak Road between Indiana and Prairie Avenue, across the street from McCormick Place was $173 million.[3] The funding will come from three sources: $70 million from the university, $70 million from a Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority ("McPier") bond fund and $33 million from public taxes (e.e., $103 million from public funds).[3] It will be built to host concerts, conventions and other events in addition to DePaul Basketball games.[6]

Funding

The decision for public participation in the funding of DePaul's athletic facility was controversial because it was announced 6 days prior to the Board of Education's decision to close 50 public schools due to a $1 billion deficit.[7] When the funding was approved by the Chicago City Council on July 24, 2013, it was described by the Chicago Reader as if the money was being taken from the schools and spent on the arena because it included $68 million in budget cuts for the Chicago Public Schools.[8][9] The Chicago Tribune revealed that the land for the project had not yet been acquired four days after the City Hall funding vote.[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bergen, Kathy (September 24, 2013). "Design Selected for DePaul Arena Near McCormick Place". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  2. ↑ "New Pictures of the McCormick Place Event Center/DePaul Arena". chicagoarchitecture.org. Chicago. June 10, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Brennan, Eamonn (May 16, 2013). "Chicago Reveals DePaul Arena Plans". ESPN. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  4. ↑ Korecki, Natasha; Spielman, Fran; Sneed, Michael (May 13, 2013). "Emanuel to Announce $300 Million DePaul Stadium Plan for McCormick Place". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  5. ↑ Spielman, Fran; Korecki, Natasha (May 14, 2013). "TIF, Hotel Taxes Could Help Pay for Planned McCormick Place Arena". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  6. ↑ Ecker, Danny. "McPier approves new DePaul arena design". Crain's.
  7. ↑ Strauss, Ben (June 23, 2013). "Critics Say Chicago Shouldn’t Aid DePaul Arena With Schools Closing". The New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  8. ↑ Johnson, Raphielle (August 1, 2013). "Project That Includes a New Arena for DePaul More Complicated Than Anticipated". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  9. ↑ Joravsky, Ben (August 1, 2013). "Meigs Field II—the City Council Very Quietly Passes Mayor Rahm's DePaul Basketball Arena Deal". Chicago Reader. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  10. ↑ Bergen, Kathy; Ruthhart, Bill (July 28, 2013). "South Loop land deals at the corner of business and politics: City, McPier will buy property for DePaul arena from 3 owners who have deep civic ties". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 28, 2013.

External links