After a decade and a half of downturn, Chicago envisions a new boom period for its South Loop convention center district. The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, known as McPier, is revamping McCormick Place, adding a hotel and arena through a $650 million McCormick Place Event Center expansion project.
Gensler designed the hotel, the 1,200-room, $450 million Marriott Marquis. The arena, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, is a basketball venue for DePaul, the city’s Division-I college hoops team. McPier funded a study that says the new buildings could generate $250 million in spending per year.
That figure, though, is fairly optimistic. The Chicago Tribune reports that experts are doubting the project, saying that the investments will ultimately cost taxpayers.
The McPier study has a few faulty assumptions. One, it is based on DePaul averaging nearly 10,000 fans a game, almost triple its current attendance. Two, McPier plans on using the arena for conventions, but studies have said that arenas are poor hosts for conventions due to their fixed seating. If the arena struggles to make money either in terms of basketball or conventions, then the hotel will have to make up that difference.
Stadiums have been found to be unsuccessful drivers of economic growth, which is an issue because McPier has already borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars and maxed out its debt limit.
"It was a dumb idea when it was proposed, it was a dumb idea when they approved it, and it will be a dumb idea in the future," Marc Ganis, a Chicago consultant who specializes in sports, said in the Tribune piece.
The Tribune has much more detail on the project, which is set to open in 2017.
Several issues have arisen with concerning the development over the last few years, including eminent domain battles, rising construction costs, and disagreements over $55 million in tax increment financing (TIF) funds.
Related Stories
| Jul 18, 2014
Engineering firms look to bolster growth through new services, technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following solid revenue growth in 2013, the majority of U.S.-based engineering and engineering/architecture firms expect more of the same this year, according to BD+C’s 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering/Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering/architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Fluor, Arup, Day & Zimmermann top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Gensler, Perkins+Will, NBBJ top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
2014 Giants 300 Report
Building Design+Construction magazine's annual ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
| Jul 17, 2014
A new, vibrant waterfront for the capital
Plans to improve Washington D.C.'s Potomac River waterfront by Maine Ave. have been discussed for years. Finally, The Wharf has started its first phase of construction.
| Jul 9, 2014
Harvard Business School to build large-scale conference center
Expected to open in 2018, the facility will combine the elements of a large-scale conference center, a performance space, and an intimate community forum. The new building will be designed by Boston-based William Rawn and Associates.
| Jul 7, 2014
7 emerging design trends in brick buildings
From wild architectural shapes to unique color blends and pattern arrangements, these projects demonstrate the design possibilities of brick.
| Jul 2, 2014
Emerging trends in commercial flooring
Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.
| Jul 1, 2014
Sochi's 'kinetic façade' may steal the show at the Winter Olympics
The temporary pavilion for Russian telecom operator MegaFon will be wrapped with a massive digital "pin screen" that will morph into the shape of any face.
