Chicagoans frustrated with heavier-than-promised DNC restrictions

(The Center Square) – Many Chicago residents and workers are dealing with unexpected closures and restrictions due to the Democratic National Convention being held in the city this week.

Downtown street closures around hotels and restaurants were announced Monday, after the convention started.

In the South Loop, traffic and parking restrictions around McCormick Place became more severe than DNC organizers had promised in a Zoom meeting less than two weeks earlier.

On the West Side, 28th Ward Republican Committeewoman Tamiko Holt said officials did not provide advance notice about closures in the Medical District near the United Center.

“Just to get to my daughter’s house, which is a mile and three blocks away from me, I have to take this long route around that I was not expecting. For me to get to Pete’s [Fresh Market] grocery store, they blocked off the access to Pete’s grocery store. We can’t travel down that street,” Holt said.

City officials announced seven downtown street closures Monday due to DNC festivities at hotels and restaurants.

Chicago Loop Alliance Director of Marketing and Communications Ariella Gibson said the closures are mainly outside of the Loop itself.

“A lot of those security perimeters are due to major, high-profile people staying in some of the River North, Streeterville, Gold Coast hotels,” Gibson said.

Gibson said the Loop did not see a huge decrease in activity on the first day of the convention. She said Loop stakeholders are excited to have 50,000 people exploring the city, whether it’s in the Loop or outside of it in other neighborhoods.

Republican Committeewoman Holt said she did not receive a text or an email about the closures in her area. Holt said officials could send a text or personalized emails, because residents do receive emails and unnecessary texts when the politicians are running for office.

Holt said she has a term for what is happening in Chicago.

“Elitism, that’s what we call it. When you think that people that actually pay to live here, whether renters or owners, we have a life that we have to pretty much partake in every day, and the fact that you don’t think enough of us to give us forewarning. We didn’t get forewarning,” Holt said.

Holt said it is definitely a problem that she and fellow residents in the Medical District received no notice about street closures.

“Everybody forgets about the people. You know that comes from the kiss-the-ring mentality. You’re not royalty. Listen, we are taxpayers. We have to go to work to be able to pay those taxes,” Holt said.

Several businesses near the United Center are closed due to the convention. Some business owners boarded up windows in fear of potential riots.