Cancel Lollapalooza? Casinos opening in the loop? Taxpayer $ for bike lanes? Don’t panic (yet) … it’s only a debate!

Chicago Program students debated the pros and cons of adding more dedicated bike lanes to Chicago streets, legalizing gambling/casinos in Chicago and hosting the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago.

Teams incorporated their research of the environmental, economic and social impact of the issues on the community.   I learned a lot about both sides of the issues, and am a much more informed citizen. It made me realize you really have to do your research before you can formulate an opinion.  For more about the issues, read on…

Lollapalooza

Pro.  Lollapalooza is one of the top 5 tourist attractions in Chicago, and brings in $80 million revenue; mainly for hotel/retail industries; recycles waste from festival, plants trees and restores Grant Park grounds to it’s original condition and brings people together with music.  

Con.  Organizers need to be more transparent; skipped out on paying taxes and there is an antitrust suit against C3, the festival promoters.  They also need to be more sustainable; last year they  destroyed Grant Park, leaving the grounds a mud pit for two months before restoring it.  The festival insists bands have a radius clause in their contract, so local bands can’t perform at other venues in the area for 9 months out of the year.

Gambling—Casinos in Chicago

Pro.  Casinos would bring in a source of revenue badly needed by the city.  The city is losing potential revenue to casinos in northwest Indiana, as most of the gamblers in Northwest Indiana are from Illinois.  Casinos would bring jobs to help city unemployment rate of 9.3%.  Casinos would bring more tourists, more customer spending into the area, generating more revenue for the city. 

Con.  Bringing casinos to Chicago would bring crime and corruption into an area where there is already corruption. Legalizing gambling brings with it social problems of bankruptcy, domestic abuse, suicide, robbery.  In other cities where casinos have been built, crime rates have increased, requiring increased law enforcement, lowering housing values. Surveys show citizens don’t want casinos in Chicago.  Casinos would take away from other attractions and restaurants Chicago has to offer.  

 

 

Dedicated bike lanes in Chicago

Pro.  Dedicating more bike lanes would be good for Chicago economically, socially and environmentally. Economically, bikers can make more stops at shops and restaurants along the route, since they don’t have to worry about parking. Socially, citizens would get more physical activity, be more social out among other riders. Environmentally, less cars means less pollution, no emissions, and less gas  consumption.  Less cars on the road means less road rage, less accidents.

Con.  Chicago has an extensive public transportation system, which makes it easy for folks to get around; there is no need to add more bike lanes. Taxpayer dollars would be better spent on badly needed CTA renovations. Spending money on bike lanes in already privileged areas increases economic disparity in the city; less advantaged neighborhoods wouldn’t get the rewards; in fact, some neighborhoods don’t have essential bus service. There are dangers of bikers merging into traffic and, unfortunately, numerous serious traffic accidents occur.

 

 

 

Great job, everyone!