Madigan wants state to spend $100 million on Obama library

By Ray Long and Maura Zurick Tribune reporters8:08 p.m. CST, March 4, 2014
SPRINGFIELD — House Speaker Michael Madigan called today for the state to put up $100 million to boost efforts to land the presidential library and museum of President Barack Obama.read the story here...

Here is our alternative suggestion.

Forget the DePaul Arena. McCormick Place is dark over 50% of the year and has a $1.1 Billion deficit. Madigan passes legislation each year to use taxpayer dollars to bail out the MPEA operating budget shortfalls that keep rising.

Put the library at McCormick Place at Lakeshore. 

Here is a suggestion on how to pay for this...
Use the existing bond monies already available for the Navy Pier upgrades (all $60 Million) and the project is almost zero budget.Choose Chicago gets $5 Million a year from MPEA to promote tourism. Mayor Emanuel can match funds from the City budget that would have gone to the Arena. There should certainly be Aldermanic support for this proposal, especially with the promise of additional tourists spending their dollars on Chicago hotels, restaurants and shopping.

We welcome your comments on this issue.