Posted on 09/02/2009 7:46:56 AM PDT by STARWISE
Chicago has long known how far Oprah Winfrey's star power reaches.
Now the popular talk-show host has won city approval to shut down a significant stretch of the Magnificent Mile next week for the kickoff of her 24th season.
Plans call for Michigan Avenue to be closed to vehicular traffic from Wacker Drive to Ohio Street for more than two days -- from 12:01 a.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.
The hourlong show will be taped at 5 p.m. Tuesday at a temporary stage to be built near the Michigan Avenue Bridge. The taping is free and open to the public.
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The Chicago Transit Authority plans to temporarily change 15 bus routes. Commuters should use alternative routes such as Lake Shore Drive. Traffic aides and message boards also will direct motorists.
Mayor Richard Daley said any inconvenience is worth it and that motorists and commuters will understand.
Daley called Winfrey's taping great publicity for the city and an event that will create jobs. The show will reimburse Chicago for any costs incurred, he said.
"This is a great thing we're doing. I wish we could do this every day in the city of Chicago," said Daley, calling Winfrey an "icon."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Now that's clout. Yessir! Chicago's most famous street shut down for 2 whole days. Daley looks apoplectic with glee, praying I'm sure it will advance the Olympic bid .. decision to be made next month. Wonder if her buddies, 0 or Valerie Jarret (0's special rep for the Chicago Olympic bid) will just happen to wander in.
Oprah is a RACIST.....smoke that....spies. Oh, and do the research and you’ll understand why.
The way she looks now;she’ll need a whole block.
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She’s gotten that wide again?
The IOC and Chicago belong together. They are both systemically corrupt and will figure out how to bilk the citizens of Chicago, Illinois and the US out of billions to make this show happen. Every job will be a union job, every job will have massive kick-backs on no-bid contracts, pols will own the property..etc etc.
It will be a circus that will yield endless stories and prosecutions if we had an effective opposition to the Rats, but we don’t.
I was in Chicago last week with a friend visiting from Indiana. She wanted to go on a tour but when we got a brochure one read “visit the Oprah studio” and “visit Obama’s home.” At that point, we both decided to walk the Lakefront instead.
I thought only white republican males could be rich, wealthy, priviledged fat cats? What’d I miss?
You forgot Courteous, especially in the winter when they let you go ahead and take their shoveled out parking space in front of their house...
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