Bulls Owner Jerry Reinsdorf Duped in 1901 Project Announcement Fail

In an unexpected development, the Chicago Blackhawks and Bulls jointly announced the 1901 Project , an endeavor to revitalize the city's West Side and the area around the United Center with a $7 billion mixed-use development.

Blackhawks owner Danny Wirtz and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf are spearheading the project. This is Reinsdorf's second proposed development in Chicago as he pitched a new White Sox stadium in the South Loop earlier this year.

Of all the sports owners in Chicago, Reinsdorf may be the most despised due to his corner-cutting tactics in White Sox' and Bulls' operations that result in the teams consistently finishing in the middle of the pack or below in their respective leagues. Reinsdorf is more worried about profits than spending on a roster to best align his teams for success. He's even reportedly indicated that having his teams finish second is ideal "because your fans will say 'Wow, we got a shot. We're in it!' But there's always the carrot left."

The approach was on full display via the failures of the Bulls' Derrick Rose and Zach LaVine eras and the most recent White Sox' rebuild. Reinsdorf had opportunities to acquire top talent to elevate his teams from fringe to legitimate contenders, but he never allowed his front office to spend enough to attain substantial success.

Alas, the announcement of the $7 billion 1901 Project riled up many within the Bulls fan base, and one person took it a step further to show their frustration. On Tuesday, the Bulls X/Twitter account posted the wrong link for the 1901 Project website. Someone bought that domain and fashioned the website into a "SELL THE TEAM JERRY!!" virtual billboard. The website includes a petition and shirt for sale.

As the Bulls and White Sox continue to struggle, Reinsdorf will continue to receive vitriol from Chicago fans who just want to see their teams enjoy success. Proposing mega-developments while crying poor on roster spending doesn't help matters. There are still hurdles for the 1901 Project to jump, but it sounds like Reinsdorf is bought in.

Related: Blackhawks, Bulls Owners Release Plans for 1901 Project Surrounding United Center

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