Mayor Richard Daley on Tuesday took a different tack to criticize plans for a new airport near Peotone, contending that the proposed project has no support from the companies that ultimately would pay for it–the airlines.
Daley, whose stock answer to Peotone supporters used to be to “go buy the land, go build it,” was forced to shift his assault after Gov. George Ryan’s announcement last week that the state would begin buying acreage and press ahead with plans for the airfield.
“You can buy all the land you want … but where are you going to get the money?” the mayor asked. “You need an airline.”
Daley spoke to reporters at a news conference at which he announced plans for a new downtown headquarters office for Transora, an e-commerce firm begun last year in Chicago.
“It’s like telling Transora to `go build this [headquarters space], but you have no clients,'” he declared. “No one is going to spend money on this project unless you had some clients, had some backing.”
In the wake of Ryan’s land purchase announcement, city officials have begun to question how the state could produce matching funds needed to spring federal grants for construction and how Ryan could generate support from Downstate legislators for the millions of dollars of road and other infrastructure improvements that would be necessary if the airport is built.
Ryan and Daley have agreed to meet to discuss Peotone as well as the possibility of new runways at O’Hare International Airport to help solve the region’s air congestion woes, but mayoral staffers said they are unaware of any date set for the meeting. Daley, too, was tight-lipped on the subject Tuesday, saying he won’t tip reporters to a time.
“I don’t announce a meeting for your purposes,” he declared.
Daley, fresh from a week in Florida, discussed a range of other matters, from a state legislator’s idea to install slot machines at O’Hare to a proposal by the Chicago Cubs to increase the number of night games at Wrigley Field.
Daley said it makes no sense to discuss a proposal floated by state Sen. Walter Dudycz (R-Chicago) to allow slots at O’Hare to generate money for education and property tax relief because the proposal would not be permitted under federal law.
Money raised by the machines could be used only to pay for airport-related expenses, according to mayoral aides, and Daley said he has no interest in seeking to change the statute.
The mayor said he has “an open mind” in regard to the Cubs’ desire to schedule up to 30 games a season under the lights at Wrigley.
“I am willing to entertain it,” he said. “If you look at what is happening in baseball–night games are so important.” TV viewership is a valid consideration, and TV audiences are larger at night than during the day, he said.
But “the community comes first,” and any agreement that would increase the current 18-game cap would have to address traffic, congestion and other neighborhood concerns, Daley said.
Elsewhere on the Chicago baseball front, the mayor weighed in on what he said were the “upsetting” contract demands of White Sox star Frank Thomas.
“You sign an enormous contract, and now, just because someone gets paid more, you are going to change the contract,” Daley declared. “I think everyone was disappointed. Last year’s season was so great, and he really came back in a leadership role. To start out spring training with this is really unfortunate, but I hope they can work it out.”
