-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Lakeside Center, the oldest McCormick Place building, has been overshadowed by additions to the complex and its occupancy lags the others. But Lakeside Center “does not sit empty." Larita Clark said it has 253 events scheduled through 2035, worth $13.8 billion in economic impact, besides housing mechanical systems serving the whole campus. “The reality is if we lost the Lakeside Center, we’d need to replace 600,000 square feet and all the critical infrastructure."
SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER
FOLLOW US
WIREPOINTS ORIGINAL STORIES
Audio and summary Why the Holdup Using Artificial Intelligence to Cut Illinois Government Costs? – Wirepoints
May 19, 2026
10 Comments
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
Note to readers from Mark Glennon re: Ukraine
May 6, 2026
4 Comments
Everybody needs a side hustle these days, and mine is Ukraine, where I am now.
Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer – Chicago’s struggling commercial real estate and more
April 22, 2026
5 Comments
Summary and audio linked here.
Problem here is that MPEA bureaucracy is extremely well-compensated, at tax-payer expense, and mostly politically-connected “patronage-payback” former Daley Machine-affiliated folks not capable of succeeding in corporate world. There’s always been a skeleton-crew of competent nonpolitical managers that keep MPEA somewhat functioning, but otherwise, vast majority are “empty suits”.
And now, McCormick Place competes with many other convention center locations with better facilities, cheaper labor crews, safer likewise-attractive cities served by nicer airports. O’Hare is now just another “3rd-world”-caliber airport, poorly maintained, dirty, and obsolete, and a significant inconvenience for tourism to downtown Chicago.
Many first time conventioneers are shocked to discover that McCormick Place is isolated along the lake, far from the business, retail and entertainment districts.
McCormick Place is like the deep tunnel. It always needs more funding and doesn’t accomplish anything! We all know there’s never any flooding in Chicago!