Legislators honor late Rosemont leader

SPRINGFIED -- State lawmakers Wednesday recalled the late Don Stephens as a visionary, who saw the potential for Rosemont when few others did, and then had both the deal-making savvy and integrity to see it through.

"We will probably never know the extent of this man's generosity and kindness," said state Rep. Dan Burke, a Chicago Democrat.

The Illinois House officially honored Stephens on Wednesday, paying homage to the man who helped found Rosemont and then seemingly single-handedly turned it into a convention mecca, surviving allegations of mob ties during his more than five decades running the village.

Stephens died in April at age 79.

Lawmakers said Stephens understood how to play politics to get what he wanted but succeeded because his integrity never wavered.