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Jeffrey Cohen, deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Economic
Development in the Chicago Department of Planning and
Development, told the City Council Committee on Economic,
Capital and Technology Development the tax breaks would apply to
phase one of the project.
“If granted, the Class 7b property tax incentive, it is
estimated the applicant will pay $66.7 million in property taxes
over the 12-year period and will be abated $54.7 million over
the same period,” Cohen said.
Cohen said the project will create 1,982 temporary construction
jobs, 592 full-time positions and 179 part-time positions.
Alderman Walter “Red” Burnett said he hopes future megaprojects
have the kind of community engagement that United Center owners
have in his ward.
“Let’s talk about what those parking lots produce in taxes
currently. It’s a fraction, if not minimal, to what could be
utilized on this land,” Burnett said.
Several aldermen expressed concerns about minority
representation for the project.
A number of union representatives and workers spoke in favor of
the tax incentives during the committee’s public comment period,
but Mary Rivera, who works for Levy Restaurants at the United
Center, said her property tax bill is a source of worry
“When the United Center proposed The 1901 Project, we heard a
lot about transformative $7 billion private investment in the
West Side of Chicago. I was surprised to find out a couple of
months ago that the private investment came with strings
attached,” Rivera said.
Rivera said she doesn’t see why a wealthy private company should
get special treatment while ordinary homeowners suffer
uncertainty.
Geraldine Blevings, a union steward who works at the United
Center, urged the committee to vote no.
“This looks less like a private investment and more like a
public handout,” Blevings said.
The committee approved the tax incentives, and Alderman Derrick
Curtis, who chaired the hearing on Tuesday, expressed hope that
the full council would approve the deal at its next meeting May
20.
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