September 1st, 2009
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Author: Mayor Richard Daley today said closing a three-block stretch of Michigan Avenue for two days next week for the Oprah Winfrey show will be a great public relations boost for the city.
Daley said the talk show host will reimburse the city for the costs of the show, which will shut down Michigan Avenue between Ohio Street and Wacker Drive from 12:01 a.m. Monday, Labor Day, until 5 a.m. Wednesday. (Here’s a PDF map showing how the show would be set up)
“This is a great thing we’re doing, I wish we could do this everyday in the city of Chicago,” Daley said at an unrelated event this morning.
Daley said the taping of the Oprah show will help create jobs and bring worldwide publicity to the city.
“She’s an icon for the industry. Take New York City, Los Angeles, take all of them for the filming industry. They do this everyday, unfortunately,” Daley said.
Asked by reporters about the inconvenience to downtown motorists, Daley said it’s worth it.
“I think they’ll understand how important this is dealing with jobs, dealing with international insurance exposure…this is a great opportunity,” Daley said.
The event, a kickoff for the 24th season of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” will tape on Sept. 8 at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Ohio Street and will be open to the public on a first come, first serve basis, according to show officials. Daley echoed the invite.
“It’s filming, it’s open to all ages,” said Daley.
The list of guests has yet to be released, but the show will feature an appearance by the Black Eyed Peas. The episode is scheduled to air Sept. 10.
Plans call for a stage to be put up at the foot of the north end of the Michigan Avenue bridge facing north, said Megan McDonald, executive director of the mayor’s office of special events. The audience will be arranged on the street portion of Michigan Avenue and will extend up to Ohio Street, she said.
“The sidewalks will not be affected, the sidewalks will remain open at all times for pedestrian traffic,” McDonald said, adding that people will be asked to move on along the sidewalks if they stop to view the taping.
Barricades will be posted along the street separating it from the sidewalk, which will remain open to pedestrian traffic. Harpo studio will supply security personnel to monitor the audience and prevent outsiders from coming onto the audience area. Chicago police personnel will assist with security along the sidewalk and may assist inside the audience section, McDonald said.
“Staffingwise it’s a pretty minimal number,” said McDonald, who said final numbers were not available. “We’ve had a lot of public safety meetings with Harpo studios. We’ve gone through this exhaustively to make sure we’re addressing all of the things we need to address.”
She said the Office of Emergency Management and Communications is expected to supply traffic aides to the area to help reroute traffic.
The closures are expected to begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday on Michigan Avenue from Wacker Drive to Ohio Street. The street closures are expected to continue until 5 a.m. Wednesday, officials said. The closures will only affect vehicles, pedestrian traffic will still be allowed on the sidewalks.
Officials said Ohio Street and the Lake Shore Drive will remain open as well as lower Illinois Street, Grand Avenue and Kinzie Street. The alternative routes will be Clark Street, Dearborn Street and Lake Shore Drive, officials said.
– Dan P. Blake and Carlos Sadovi
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