TIF Dollars Requested for South Loop Indoor Skate Park

About a month ago, Mayor Daley presided over his last city council meeting and surprisingly proposed that an indoor, 24 hour skate park should be built at 1600 S. Clark. At the time, funding was TBD, but TIF funds were rumored to be tied to this project.

Fast forward to this week and that rumor appears to be true based on a story we read in the Chicago Sun-Times on Monday:

A South Side land giveaway that would pave the way for Chicago’s first-ever indoor, all-night skateboard park sailed through a City Council committee Monday, but it will be built only if Mayor Rahm Emanuel authorizes $2 million in tax-increment-financing.

According to the article Emanuel has promised to "rein in TIF spending". Regardless, this isn't a done deal:

“This is a cool project. I just told Danny [Solis, whose 25th Ward includes the project] that I want him to buy me a new pair of roller skates so I can practice,” said Committee Chairman Ray Suarez (31st).

Solis promised community meetings before the TIF subsidy is approved. But, he called the skate park a wonderful addition to “almost adjacent” — and soon to be expanding — Ping Tom Park.

“This skate park will just add to what will hopefully be one of the premier parks in Chicago. I look forward to having this park be one of the jewels of the city,” Solis said.
Still, Solis acknowledged that “there is some concern from residents — not just in my ward, but other wards” about the indoor skate park that will allow skateboarders to blow off steam day or night.

“This is simply an acquisition. There will be a number of community meetings to allow input and refine how we put this park together,” he said.

Stay tuned...