ORD Expansion/Modernization

[GooooMarquette]

Not sure. Part of me would love to live in the 3rd Ward, but then again, They are putting up some pretty nice lakeside condos in Oconomowoc.

I've long thought it would be fun to live in the Third Ward...but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I'd only want it as a second place. The busy activity is fun for a little while, but I also need some quiet and a bit more room. The condos out in lake country sound nice.

[warriorchick]

I've long thought it would be fun to live in the Third Ward...but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I'd only want it as a second place. The busy activity is fun for a little while, but I also need some quiet and a bit more room. The condos out in lake country sound nice.

I am hoping the ones I have my eye on are wildly speculatively priced by the developers.  They are asking seven figures at this point.

[dgies9156]

Not sure. Part of me would love to live in the 3rd Ward, but then again, They are putting up some pretty nice lakeside condos in Oconomowoc.

Chick, maybe we'll be neighbors. My wife and I have spoken about the possibility of after we sell our home, moving to a condo on the water side of Prospect Avenue on the East Side. Really a cool place.

[dgies9156]

There is a huge demand for international flights into/out of  O'hare.

It's not about Chicagoans going to far flung places, it's about getting international passengers to a major hub in the center of the country so the can easily connect to their final destination.  It's about making it easy for Americans anywhere in the country to connect through O'hare to get to their international location.

Right now terminal 5 is such a bad design (being so far away and having to go through security again) that Chicago is losing out.

I didn't say there was a huge demand for international flights. I agree there is. What I disagree on is spending $12 billion (graft factor included) to build a new international terminal that will facilitate domestic connections and effectively subsidize United and American.

Do you really think United will move connecting traffic from EWR or IAD to O'Hare? I don't think so. I'll admit IAD is a dump and probably is silently being de-hubbed in favor of EWR, but that traffic is not coming to Chicago. Likewise, while we have a hub at ORD, the Asian traffic is going to SFO and to a lesser degree, LAX. The Latin American traffic flows through IAH, leaving Denver and Chicago and primary domestic (aka, money losing passenger) hubs . We could do the same exercise on American involving DFW, LAX, JFK, PHL and CLT. On AA, everything is secondary to DFW. That's just the way it is.

Maybe there is some marginal benefit to Midwest connecting traffic from an enhanced ORD, but United and American are so dominant that I just don't see that changing much as a consequence of a new airport. I think the Rahmfather needs an airport project just before election time to tame the unions.

While I would like to see Sh*tbox Palace rebuilt, $12 billion (including graft) isn't worth the price.

[Tugg Speedman]

I didn't say there was a huge demand for international flights. I agree there is. What I disagree on is spending $12 billion (graft factor included) to build a new international terminal that will facilitate domestic connections and effectively subsidize United and American.

Do you really think United will move connecting traffic from EWR or IAD to O'Hare? I don't think so. I'll admit IAD is a dump and probably is silently being de-hubbed in favor of EWR, but that traffic is not coming to Chicago. Likewise, while we have a hub at ORD, the Asian traffic is going to SFO and to a lesser degree, LAX. The Latin American traffic flows through IAH, leaving Denver and Chicago and primary domestic (aka, money losing passenger) hubs . We could do the same exercise on American involving DFW, LAX, JFK, PHL and CLT. On AA, everything is secondary to DFW. That's just the way it is.

Maybe there is some marginal benefit to Midwest connecting traffic from an enhanced ORD, but United and American are so dominant that I just don't see that changing much as a consequence of a new airport. I think the Rahmfather needs an airport project just before election time to tame the unions.

While I would like to see Sh*tbox Palace rebuilt, $12 billion (including graft) isn't worth the price.

If you believe the press reports, it will be paid with an increase in landing fees, not tax payers money. (I chose my words carefully as I'm not completely buying that no taxpayer money will be used)

[Benny B]

Chick, maybe we'll be neighbors. My wife and I have spoken about the possibility of after we sell our home, moving to a condo on the water side of Prospect Avenue on the East Side. Really a cool place.

My wife and I have always had our eye on those townhomes along the river between Highland and Juneau.   Close enough to the action yet a bit off the beaten path for those times you need some "space away" (relatively speaking)... and a boat slip.

[Herman Cain]

Not sure. Part of me would love to live in the 3rd Ward, but then again, They are putting up some pretty nice lakeside condos in Oconomowoc.

I think the lakeside option is very interesting. I may look out there someday.