Quinn launches effort to stop 'desecration' of selling naming rights for Soldier Field
Arguing that there is "no tasteful way" to attach a corporate name to a "sacred" war memorial, former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is reprising the fight he waged more than 20 years ago to preserve the name Soldier Field.
One day after Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveiled her $2.2 billion plan to keep the Bears at a domed and renovated Soldier Field, Quinn launched his campaign to deprive the mayor of the only funding source she has revealed so far to bankroll the ambitious project: selling corporate naming rights.
Quinn introduced yet another "citizens ordinance" to get an advisory referendum on the Feb. 28 ballot that would ask voters a loaded question:
"Shall the people of Chicago protect the good name of Soldier Field - which is a war memorial dedicated to the memory of soldiers who fought for our American democracy - by prohibiting the mayor, City Council, Park District or any other governmental entity from attaching a corporate name to Soldier Field or selling the naming rights to Soldier Field in any way?"