Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Downtown
Then why did Bob O'Neill (head of both Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy) testify before Plan Commission that the giveaway of LaSalle Park to the British School was perfectly fine, because South Loop residents could use Grant Park?
Would you say the same thing of Central Park? That it's perfectly fine for a private company to fence it off for a week, close the transverse drives, and tell everyone on the Upper East and West Sides that they should just stay indoors with the windows closed, because the park was already there when they moved in?
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That's apples to oranges. Central Park was always intended as a romantic, peaceful escape from the city. Grant Park was an enormous parade ground that has hosted massive special events since it was built.
To me, there is immense value in a huge event that draws the cultural elite to Chicago. Lolla isn't my cup of tea personally but it is our Coachella, our Fashion Week, our Art Basel and our Cannes. No other regularly-scheduled event does as much to put Chicago on the map as Lolla does.
It's not just the festival itself, either. Record labels, blogs, magazines, and other organizations throw a whole constellation of Lolla-adjacent events as well, many of which draw visitors outside of downtown to neighborhood events, eat at neighborhood restaurants and shop at neighborhood stores.