Posted on 03/28/2025 10:21:29 AM PDT by Salman
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker, in a text exchange with Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, expressed concerns about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ability to keep United Airlines’ headquarters in Chicago, another stark shot from the governor amid his ongoing friction with the mayor.
The back-and-forth between the two statewide public officials occurred last month as rumors were reignited that the prominent airline company might move to Denver because of a recent property purchase near that city’s airport. Pritzker stressed the importance of ensuring Johnson did not do anything to “push them out” in the text conversation, which the Tribune obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
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Several large companies, such as Boeing, Citadel and Caterpillar, announced they planned to leave Chicago before Johnson was elected mayor while the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and McDonald’s have since raised the prospect of following suit. But Johnson has challenged the narrative the city is anti-business, noting PsiQuantum Center is moving into the city — a project Pritzker also played a major role in — and that United and American airlines have agreed to the city’s proposed changes to a massive, delayed rebuild at O’Hare International Airport.
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(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
No honor among thieves.
Good they and their voting block need to feel pain.
If I'm deciding? Wichita or Dallas or Houston or Miami.
IMHO the bizarre Mayor Johnson sees himself as the reincarnation of the evil, culture destroying Vladamir Lenin. Actually think Pritzker is afraid of him. Illinois is rotting.
Prickster likes to take the victory lap but his arrogance may catch up with him when companies fail to deliver, including Stellantis at Belvidere which is backing off as the auto industry is in turmoil. People will remember those promises.
Dallas
Moving from Chicago to Denver is like jumping. Out of the frying pan, covered in oil, into the fire.
Conagra had built a beautiful campus in downtown Omaha about 30 years ago by destroying historical buildings to do so. About 10 years ago, they abandoned the campus to move their HQ to Chicago.
Dallas would make no sense; United has few flight from DFW and they lost their gate at Love several years ago. And in the Metroplex, Dallas and Fort Worth are each host one one of the four majors. Not sure where you came up with Wichita - is there a punch line there?
Houston would work. It's a major hub inherited from Continental. Lots of nice housing in the Woodlands.
Northern Virginia and Denver would also make some sense. Miami is a major player, but not a United Hub. In fact, I don't think United has a hub in the Southeast at all. Newark's a hub, but I can't see execs wanting to relocate to the greater Newark metropolitan area.
Looks like United only flies to 6 cities from DFW. All of which are United hubs. They fly to 5 cities from Jacksonville. Why not throw them on a list as well?
Otherwise known as New York City (the largest suburb of Newark). ;)
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