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* Block Club Chicago…

Park 578, located blocks from the United Center at 1919 W. Maypole Ave., was home to the free speech zone established by the city during the DNC. It was meant to appease protest groups battling the city over plans to march near the convention, giving protesters a stage and sound system and opening it to 45-minute speaking time slots.

The stage, however, hosted sparsely attended speeches throughout the DNC, which ended Thursday.

Bike cops scrolling on their cell phones, wandering reporters and political gadflies largely outnumbered registered speakers and attendees at the park. A police helicopter buzzing above it all drowned out those who took to the makeshift speaker’s platform, surrounded by fortified fences and security guards in bright vests.

* The Question: Should Illinois and Chicago push for another national political convention in 2028? : Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

online polls

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 11:53 am

Comments

I said yes.

But I would like to know the “economic” impact of it. Hotel stays that week as compared to last year, idea of restaurants being busy and the like.

Was it a good thing for the city or was the displacement of regular business in the city too much to overcome?

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 11:58 am
I feel like again in 2028 is too soon, but I would absolutely be on board with Chicago trying to land a convention every decade or two. Granted, I don’t want to imagine the backlash that a modern GOP convention would elicit, so maybe we should stick to Dem conventions in Chicago.

Comment by TJ Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:00 pm
It would benefit the state and the city and as this one showed at no or very little cost

Comment by EJK Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:00 pm
I voted no because I think Chicagoans could use a respite from this type of disruption. Especially, those businesses that lost money because they were in the security zone. Folks like ChicagoBars and others could reflect more expertly than I.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:01 pm
As much as I would love it to attend and feel out the energy like with this one, I think it might be too soon. Chicago proved the national press and the hand wringers wrong on this one, let’s float along on that clout for a little while.

Comment by Bilbo Swaggins Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:02 pm
I said yes because the positivr spotlight it put on the city. The economic bump in revenues. I would love to know if out of town attendee is now looking at returning to the city for a personal trip?

Comment by Austinman Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:08 pm
Voted no - it would be too soon

Comment by Lincoln Lad Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:11 pm
Champagne for breakfast and a sherman in my hand
White top, white tails, never fails
Must have been a dream. I don’t believe where I’ve been
Come on! Let’s do it again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUioud7Qtsw

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:13 pm
Voted no, give someone else a chance.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:15 pm
too soon. we have the effect of hey it’s great there. now double down on keeping those trains clean and get to stopping the nw side restaurant robberies and the southside smash into buildings robberies. other work to do.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:19 pm
Votin’ yes. City a pretty good on their end. DNC ok too. Protestors wimped out, but that is the younger Gen does right. By ‘28 they might be able to dispatch robots to fill the protest sites.
BTW most delegations will try to feed and entertain delegates who are already shelling out big $ for travel & rooms.

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:25 pm
vote no.. Too soon. Do it again but maybe wait a bit.

Comment by just because Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:25 pm
I say yes for totally personal selfish reasons first. It’s great to have a positive national spotlight on Chicago! And it’s awfully convenient for those of us who live here.

More practically though, Chicago is a large enough city to comfortably host this many guests, it has high quality convention facilities in the UC and McCormick, it’s centrally located within the country, and it is the anchor of the rust belt. The only comparable city to my mind is Atlanta.

Comment by I-55 Fanatic Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:29 pm
I Voted No. There was a lot of disruption, security and closed streets. Made it a hassle to get around and do regular business. I wish the Politicians would do something about the Rat problem in Chicago and surrounding areas. Beginning to think there is a family courtesy being extended by the two-footed Rats to their slightly less evolved four-footed cousins. Ha ha.

Comment by Tom in Elgin Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:31 pm
I voted yes because as they old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

I think Kamala Harris proved Chicago should be the home of the DNC for a while. You can host a convention in Chicago, drive up to Wisconsin, Michigan, and maybe even Minnesota and have a rally while the DNC is going on (if you can fill the venues). Pittsburgh is also less than a 7 hour drive. Flights to both New York and LA from Chicago is about 2-4 hours. The point is, however, neither of those cities can tout that kind of logistical advantage like Chicago.

I know Wisconsin and Michigan may argue the same, but neither of those states, I contend, has a city as accommodating or wonderful as Chicago.

Who knows, maybe all of this attention may spill over into grumpy Ohio and make them think it is time to “think blue” and stop missing out on all the fun.

Comment by Succinctly Superfluous Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:33 pm
Voted yes solely because the CTA put forth real effort to be clean and reliable for a few days, and Metra tried something new with more O’Hare service. The whole world was watching, after all.

Comment by StarLineChicago Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:38 pm
Rich, promise you’ll bring us leftovers and I’ll change my vote.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:39 pm
Why not. 60th anniversary of the Days of Rage.

Comment by Huh? Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:41 pm
I said no. National conventions are (or should be) a thing of the past. Let some other city live through the frustration and inconvenience.

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:43 pm
Nah. Share the love for a few cycles.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 12:46 pm
No Chicago has enough problems without adding this to the list.

Comment by clec dcn Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:04 pm
I think the DNC was a good thing for the City and the State, and it would be a good thing again in 2028. Also, selfishly, I didn’t get to go this year so I want another shot.

But it would probably be better for both the Democratic Party and the country to host the 2028 Convention somewhere else

Comment by Evanston Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:10 pm
Voted “No.”

Law enforcement did a great job minimizing possible harm caused by extremist agitators while respecting rights during the protests. Nonetheless, we do not know how much it cost to provide security for the convention. It is not unreasonable to speculate that the City spent loads of money on policing.

The convention was not free of unpleasantness with about 75 arrests, plus delegates being mugged and exposed to a shoot out at the White Palace Grill.

Comment by Gravitas Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:15 pm
Yes! It is a great opportunity to develop relationships with the people and institutions that are in the best place to provide resources and solutions.

It’s also a great way to market the city for tourism and convention business.

Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Voted no, then saw Cool Papa Bell giving the same reasoning I had but in reverse. If the net effect on the economy is positive or neutral, I’m fine with it.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:19 pm
Ditto to Starliner .. The Blue Line is still slow but we no longer have drug mainliners at 8 am on the west end Blue Line.

To Rich M: “Whose dream, What dream, Get up and do it again.” Do you feel like we do?

Comment by Dave Ristau Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:22 pm
No. There are 50 states plus D.C., so spread the love around.

Comment by Simply Sayin' Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:28 pm
Voting no, though I think we should have it more frequently than every two decades. Chicago clearly is in a good position to host this major national security event than medium-sized cities and is well-located geographically. With that being said, having it in a four-year period is a major distraction for our political leaders and public safety organizations. I don’t think any state or city elected official can honestly say that they were 100% focused on their job the last few weeks with this thing going on.

Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:41 pm
Voted no. Too much disruption, too soon, and might be pressing our luck a little too much.

Comment by Flapdoodle Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 1:46 pm
I voted no. I think Chicago is the perfect place for a convention but I don’t think it was worth the effort. I would think in a few years political conventions will be a thing of the past. Also I am tired of hearing about 1968

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 2:34 pm
I voted no.

When you gamble and win big, it’s wise to cash-out and walk away from the table.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 3:12 pm
Sure, Chicago should try again, but I would understand if the parties went with another city. It is a net positive for the City, although, as others have pointed out, probably just as good economically as any other major convention.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 3:13 pm
The city needs to be its own ambassador. So many people outside of Chicago are going to tell the stories they want to tell, and the only time someone sees something different is if they are forced to.

This is actually one of the reasons I’m not particularly against things like Nascar in general (whether the existing contract as is makes sense is a different issue). Anything that gets people to come to Chicago and see it with their own eyes is good for the City.

Comment by Homebody Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 4:27 pm
Yeah the hotel taxes probably make it worth it to Chicago so I voted yes, but going to need a long discussion before this happens again on programming for bars and restaurants in the central business district. Because, much like RNC in Milwaukee, not much of the DNC business trickled out of the hotels and music venues to other spots and places were done versus even usual soft end of summer office work business.

Comment by ChicagoBars Monday, Aug 26, 24 @ 5:24 pm