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* From Finke’s latest column…
“It’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s old. The taxpayers of Illinois spend millions of dollars each year heating and cooling a terrarium.” Rauner discussing the shortcomings of the Thompson Center in Chicago, which he wants to sell.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:29 pm
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Great sales pitch Mr. Businessman!
Comment by Cubs in '16 Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:30 pm
Yeah, that ought to really help bring a good price.
Comment by Joe M Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:32 pm
Rauner is the anti-cheerleader. That said, the Thompson Center sucks…big time.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:33 pm
“… but I want top dollar, gettin’ the taxpayers the biggest return on the dollar… after I run down the building 37 to 40 more times.” - Fake Bruce Rauner.
Rauner is a guy who looks at ANY asset in only in it’s worth to make money, not it’s worth to what it could be to someone else.
What a miserable way to look at things.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:33 pm
And this coming from the Bidnessman-Governor himself. Makes you wonder how he was so successful in his previous job.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:34 pm
I don’t think I’d put that on the listing.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:35 pm
Since it looks like a quarter of the Death Star from Star Wars - he should sell it for the Lucas museum.
Comment by SportShz Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:36 pm
What’s 1.4% got against terrariums? They can support a wide variety of unique plant life. I am sure that the Thompson Center does the same thing.
Comment by Huh? Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:36 pm
The quote also doesn’t seem to indicate a high regard for the occupants of the building, but I could be wrong.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:37 pm
He’d do just as well selling used cars as he does as governor.
“The number to call is BR-549.”
Hee Haw was so far ahead of their time.
Comment by MSIX Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:37 pm
Look, a kitty!
Pay no attention to the willful disaster being visited upon the state’s fiscal position and core responsibilities, let’s talk about an issue that impacts hardly anyone in any real way.
“The Thompson Center, what’s up with that, am I right people?…. and don’t even get me started on airline peanuts…. what’s up with that?”
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:39 pm
I don’t think it’s reasonable that anyone is going to buy the building itself…it’s not feasible to upgrade it to serve a different purpose in the state it’s in. The prime real estate it sits on does not need a strong sales pitch to sell.
Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:44 pm
- NIU Grad -,
Besides that it’s a pesky “L” hub, above and below ground…
Other than that… should be “simple” to just level the building, just start right over…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:47 pm
Wow, bizzarro world I actually agree with Brucey.
Comment by Obamas Puppy Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:48 pm
The Thompson center is a dump. It was terrible when I worked there when it was new. Friends who work there now report unrepaired toilets and generally worn, filthy conditions. It is horribly inefficient - get rid of it.
Comment by 13th Ward Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:50 pm
It will be interesting to see who buys the place and very likely to be at rock bottom dollar. I wonder if they will have any ties to the Governor?
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:53 pm
I’ve heard that IT equipment is supposed to be out by 11/19/2016.
If so — that’s a major, major ask. The amount of money required to move just the IT stuff — servers, network connections, routers, T3 lines — will be incredible.
I’ve also heard that “non-essential” agencies — agencies that don’t need to be in Chicago proper — might be moved to the Chicago suburbs. That, too, is a big deal. Once you lose the easy public transportation, you lose a sizable chunk of the state workforce.
The JRTC move makes no sense whatsoever.
Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:57 pm
Heads up, link is 404-ing. http://www.sj-r.com/article/20160402/NEWS/160409938/?Start=1 should work.
Comment by Stormfield Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 1:59 pm
–I’ve also heard that “non-essential” agencies — agencies that don’t need to be in Chicago proper — might be moved to the Chicago suburbs. That, too, is a big deal–
Keep an eye on the lease deals.
But how could the state enter into new lease deals? Is the state’s Mom and Dad going to be co-signers? No bills are being paid now.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 2:01 pm
Get a budget Governor, then worry about selling the Thompson Center. Try to focus your brain on Governing. Just for 1 day. What could it hurt to actually try to Govern? I mean…just try it…for one day….
Comment by Saluki Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 2:05 pm
== “It’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s old. The taxpayers of Illinois spend millions of dollars each year heating and cooling a terrarium.” ==
One of the few truthful statements Rauner has made.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 2:08 pm
I don’t think anyone would disagree with this extremely obvious assessment, however, I would prefer a land lease to an outright sale. Chicago has a lot of financial issues that I believe are the direct result of the selling of the City’s assets and sources of income by Daley to kick the can down the road. Emmanuel is suffering the brunt of that.
Comment by burbanite Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 2:18 pm
A terrarium is probably the nicest thing I’ve ever heard the Thompson center called.
Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 2:20 pm
Its difficult to upkeep a state bldg when you haven’t, and can’t, pay the contractors. Our cleaning services haven’t been paid. They’ve responded to the crisis by continuing their service but minimizing their staffing hours, its hard to make payroll when they aren’t getting paid. When they have to contact a repair company, they have to find one that will come do the repair without knowing when they will get paid for the parts and service work. All the state bldgs are going to start to look dirty, rundown and in need of repairs.
Comment by Team Warwick Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 2:52 pm
Casino.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 2:56 pm
“For Sale: a modest fixer-upper in downtown Chicago. Great location, easy L access!”
Comment by G'Kar Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 3:21 pm
It’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s old. The state of Illinois, that is. Let Rauner drive down its value so he can sell it all off to rich cronies for pennies on the dollar.
Comment by IllinoisBoi Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 3:24 pm
That building is a dump.
Comment by Tone Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 3:33 pm
It’s value is in the land.
Comment by Tone Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 3:33 pm
If it’s a terrarium maybe it can be used as the State’s medicinal pot growhouse.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 5:44 pm
Anonymous - That actually makes the most sense to me. A casino. With L access. Rich cronies, cheap price.
Comment by #Twill Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 6:38 pm
The answer is obvious:
Sell it to Trump. It’s already Yuuge. It’ll be Amazing. You going to love it sooo much!
Comment by Any Mouse Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 6:48 pm
Whatever happened to governors saying something GOOD their state and its people?
Comment by Mama Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 6:59 pm
““It’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s old.”
Governor a sales pitch like that will not bring in top dollars for the state building you want to sell. Don’t forget the taxpayers paid for that building.
Comment by Mama Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 7:01 pm
As much as so many people want to blame
Rauner for everything - this is not his doing.
Demo the pig
Comment by cannon649 Monday, Apr 4, 16 @ 9:35 pm