Chicagoans who park illegally and eat in city restaurants may be required to pay more under Mayor Daley’s budget for 2004, but the city’s professional sports teams will have to dig deeper, too, with a new requirement that they pay for game-day traffic control.
The new mandate applies to stadiums and arenas with capacities “in excess of 12,000”–meaning Soldier Field, U.S. Cellular Field, Wrigley Field and the United Center. And though the measure is aimed primarily at Chicago Bears, Fire, White Sox, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks games, it also applies when concerts or other events are held at the big venues.
“Obviously, we are disappointed,” said Howard Pizer, executive vice president of the White Sox and executive vice president of the United Center. “We understand there is a real budget crunch in the city and, like other corporate citizens, we need to pay our fair share. But this is pretty extraordinary.”
Cubs, Bears and Fire officials either had no comment or said they needed more information about the new requirement before commenting.
Chicago sports teams forward to the city a 7 percent “amusement tax” on all tickets sold, and team executives historically have contended that this revenue covers the cost of the city services they require.
But Daley administration officials insist there is no connection.
“The amusement tax is a tax that goes into the general fund to support government operations,” said Lisa Schrader, a spokeswoman for the city’s Budget Department. “It’s never been earmarked for specific services.”
A special fee for traffic control is appropriate because “there is no question larger venues put a strain on city services,” she said.
When the new requirement becomes effective Jan. 1, city officials will keep records of hours worked by traffic control aides and police officers, and bills will be issued at the end of each quarter. The teams will have 30 days to pay.
Until now, the city has spent $4 million to $5 million annually on traffic control at the stadiums, said Budget Director William Abolt, who has said that efficiencies under the new approach are expected to produce a somewhat lower cost. But officials were unable to provide estimates of how much each team will pay.
The Cubs and White Sox play about 80 home games each a year, the Bulls and Blackhawks around 40 each, the Fire about 15 and the Bears about 10.
Daley’s budget, approved last month by the City Council, calls for the establishment of a “traffic management authority” within the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications to coordinate the stadium services. It will be headed by two $75,000-a-year project managers who also will oversee a staff of part-time traffic aides.
“Nobody has been hired, nothing has been finalized,” said OEMC spokesman Larry Langford. “Details are still being worked out.”
