Rahm Sees Shared Facility For Bulls, DePaul

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 11, 2012 8:40PM

The Bulls have plans in place to build a new practice facility and entertainment complex in the city so players can be closer to the United Center. DePaul has been looking for years for alternatives to Allstate Arena where they can play home games closer to campus. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has a novel compromise.

Emanuel floated the idea of building a facility in Chicago where the Bulls could practice yet the Blue Demons could play their home games during a meeting with the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board. The mayor said he’s been in ongoing discussion with DePaul and Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, but wouldn’t say if a location or locations had been discussed.

In June the Tribune reported the Bulls were interested in building a combination practice facility and entertainment complex near the United Center. Consolidating all their operations back inside Chicago would prove a financial benefit for the entire organization. DePaul has had eyes on the A. Finkl & Sons site and Morton Salt plant on Elston as potential sites for an arena to play their home games, but haven’t gone more than looking.

The Sun-Times reminds us that Reinsdorf made his initial fortune in real estate and is partial to ventures mixing the two to maximize revenue. But a mixed use facility would have to be small enough for the Bulls to practice while containing enough seats for DePaul to fill for its roundball games. It would be interesting to see if Emanuel can satisfy both parties, otherwise DePaul may be better off playing their home games in the 5,300 seat Alumni Hall on its Lincoln Park campus, because we don't see the Bulls practicing in a 10,000-12,000 seat arena.

What is certain is that Emanuel is committed to reaching a deal that satisfies both DePaul and the Bulls and it would be curious to see how he plans on funding the project if it moves forward.