The Daley administration’s 25-year plan to have shopping mall giant Westfield Concession Management quarterback and overhaul concessions at O’Hare Airport’s International Terminal hit a roadblock Tuesday.
Underlying the debate was what you might call parking-meter phobia. After the furor that followed the 75-year, $1.15 billion deal that privatized Chicago parking meters, aldermen are hesitant to approve long-term deals that could end up shortchanging Chicago taxpayers.
“We have to go out in the public and … either [get] heralded as being great economic wizards and making proper decisions, or get lambasted day after day after day like we have been regarding the parking meter deal. So, you might get an idea of why people are kind of gun-shy,” said Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th).
Although the city was not compelled to choose the most lucrative bid — and Westfield clearly didn’t offer it — Ald. George Cardenas (12th) said, “I want the city to get the highest compensation. Period. …The taxpayers were screaming in this past election about how we ought to do a better job of scrutinizing deals and get the best value to the city.”
An Attack of Conscience?
Now the aldercreatures don't want a 25-year-lease? After falling over themselves to approve a 99-year-lease how long ago?
"best value" is important, seeing as how everything that wasn't nailed down over the past 22 years has disappeared.