Chicago 1992 World's Fair
chicago world fair planned held chicago first world fair take place united state since louisiana world exposition new orleans bureau international de exposition bie approved chicago bid host world fair three year later city withdrew offer host event following evaporation political support concern event would able recoup expense fair would twinned coinciding seville expo chicago twice hosted major world fair world columbian exposition century progress first predated establishment bureau international de exposition sanctioning body official world exposition latter formally sanctioned several architect including harry weese would later claim discussing idea ever since plan world fair philadelphia faltered idea world fair chicago mark th anniversary christopher columbus arrival new world first began appear publicly late idea appeared newspaper article written charles brubaker vicepresident architecture firm perkins official city chicago indicated interest potentially hosting future world fair bie idea took hold among group architect chicago chapter american association architect began hold regular meeting discus prospect world fair architect involved included gertrude kerbis helmut jahn bertrand goldberg harry weese met business leader including thomas ayers breakfast meeting tribune tower purpose discussing mean improve image chicago ultimately led establishment tentative steering committee led ayers official world fair steering committee would established february october united state secretary commerce philip klutznick notified bie intended submit application chicago world fair steering committee also contacted bie inform intended apply fair chicago mayor jane byrne directly communicated support fair bie president patrick reid january planning committee officially incorporated chicago world fair corporation june illinois general assembly proclaimed support goal chicago world’s fair corporation establishment world’s fair chicago next month chicago city council formally endorsed fair august illinois governor james r thompson officially supported fair november united state president ronald reagan endorsed planned fair offered support assistance jane byrnes mayoral administration included plan world fair chicago comprehensive plan byrne strongly supported fair effort fair corporation garnered donation corporation including commonwealth edison continental bank fcb marshall field national corporation illinois bell chicago selected united state candidate city competitive selection hosted united state department commerce defeating city columbus new york miami houston oklahoma city sacramento chicago seen competing paris right host universal exposition paris seeking exhibition commemorate bicentennial french revolution june bureau international exposition provisionally approved paris chicago proposed exhibition waiving rule mandated universal exposition held least ten year apart also provisionally approving seville host general exhibition chicago proposed hosting fair commemorate th anniversary christopher columbus arrival new world several team architect presented proposal fair ground one team led stuart cohen member chicago seven anders nereim ultimately skidmore owings merrill proposal involving extensive use lakefill selected chicago proposal use block city lakefront covering acre near south side lakefront acre existing land acre lakefill acre lagoon harbor area addition acre parking lot accommodate car plus secondary lot car outside proposed parking lot land owned either chicago park district state illinois land used would include grant park would massively expand lakefront parkland near south side plan also entailed closure meigs field new artificial island would dot lakefront balbo drive st street new parkland would partially fulfill vision daniel burnham outlined plan chicago proposed infrastructure improvement included widening lake shore drive dan ryan expressway upgrading road neighborhood pilsen chinatown fair anticipated million visitor estimated cost million million stage architect harry weese collaborated world fair authority throughout design process womens committee chicago world fair sought bring greater female representation fair including womens building similar one chicago world columbian exposition election new chicago mayor harold washington well coinciding election new member chicago city council saw greater hostility towards fair city government washington wary fair refusing city bear burden cost overrun member chicago city council regularly expressed dissatisfaction proposed location fair several alderman pushing move fair ward june united state president ronald reagan issued presidential proclamation inviting u state participate exposition authorizing directing united state secretary state behalf invite foreign country participate exposition however start reagan promised limited contingent federal support fair preparation ultimately became hampered lack federal resource support continued argument chicago site fair many alternate site proposed architect bertrand goldberg proposed alternate plan fair ground instead focusing inland development along chicago river creating floating world fair sited three new basin within river also siting part fair floating monroe harbor planned supported alternative site proposal acre site lake calumet far south side city first bid estimated fair cost million million cost estimate fair rose estimated cost million price sat billion fair struggled amass solidified financial pledge private industry state local government estimated fair would require million visitor remain solvent instance price tag sat million estimated fair would need attract million visitor generate million remain solvent fair official projecting fair would turn profit several outside study projecting massive deficit fair failed quest receive million loan state illinois end fair planner proposing fair would funded part million private sector including million bond state illinois requested directly provide million funding sell additional million guarantee bond united state federal government anticipated provide million fund chicago provide million fund develop navy pier city also expected provide year property tax abatement land fair giving million annual tax revenue state legislature took issue plan specified private investor would priority state recouping investment state also desired state contribute less city contribute federal financial contribution guaranteed chicago city government ultimately refused make financial investment fair louisiana world exposition financially failed declared bankruptcy imperiling embattled chicago fair effort june illinois state legislature refused appropriate fund finance fair criticizing planned fair misguided risky fatally flawed month legislative advisory panel issued report declaring proceeding fair planned would misguided economic decision fair lost support governor james r thompson illinois house speaker michael madigan support chicago world fair authority fair also support chicago mayor harold washington million public private funding already spent fair effort december bie formally withdrew sanction chicago universal exposition officially preventing revival