As I read Bob Sirott’s column, I couldn’t decide whether he was serious or it was a spoof of the proposed plan Navy Pier plan.
Free parking for restaurant-goers? That’s a nice idea for some, but what about those visiting for other reasons? And where would the revenue needed to cover the cost of staffing and maintaining the garage come from? A better idea would be to provide frequent, reduced-fare public transit.
Destination dining is another nice idea. But adding a Lou Malnati’s when there are currently at least three such restaurants in nearby neighborhoods does not a destination make. And suggesting that someone would visit the Pier to get a hot dog (with or without free parking) is simply ludicrous.
More movie theaters? I normally attend the AMC 21 on off-peak hours and rarely share the theater with more than 30 patrons. I am sure that later in the evening and on weekends there are many more customers. But I would be surprised to learn that there is such a regular high demand that the AMC needs satellite theaters on the Pier to accommodate the overflow crowds.
I think we can all agree that Navy Pier could use some updating. But please, let’s leave the planning to the professionals.
— Jeanne Martineau, Chicago
