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Park Grill

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Park Grill
Map
Restaurant information
EstablishedNovember 24, 2003
Head chefBernard Laskowski[1]
Food typeContemporary American Cuisine
Dress codeCasual
Street address11 North Michigan Avenue
CityChicago
StateIL
Postal/ZIP Code60602
CountryUSA
Seating capacity300
ReservationsYes
Websitewww.parkgrillchicago.com

The Park Grill is a contemporary American cuisine, 300-seat restaurant located at Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois.[2][3][4][5]

The Chicago Park District's awarding of the contract to the owners of the Park Grill is among the most prominent scandals of the administration of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2005.

In 2008 Park Grill was named one of the top 100 highest-grossing independent restaurants in the US, serving approximately 300,000 meals and grossing approximately $(US)12,000,000 in sales, making it the 7th largest independent restaurant in terms of sales in Chicago for the year prior according to Restaurants and Institutions magazine.[6]

Location

Bordering Millennium Park along Chicago's Michigan Avenue, the restaurant's outdoor seating becomes McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink in the winter.[7][8][4][9] In the summer, this outdoor seating area is the largest al fresco dining area in Chicago.[10][11][12] Famous Chicago sculpture Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza is located on the roof of Park Grill.[10] Diners at the Grill overlook the skating rink through floor-to-ceiling windows in the Winter.[13]

The restaurant was noted as one of the "99 Best of Chicago," named as one of three under the category of "Best Restaurants with a View" in Night+Day Chicago.[14] The Unofficial Guide to Chicago points out the "spectacular view of the Chicago skyline, fronted by the ice rink at Millennium Park."[15] Fodor's Chicago 2010 says "Location trumps service at Park Grill, where a seat on the patio in summer, in full view of Millennium Park, is among the best in the city. Sadly, the waitstaff lapses..."[16] The National Geographic's website's Chicago Walking Tour: Millennium and Grant Parks recommends the Park Grill as it "allows you to admire the surrounding architecture passively."[17] Zagat lists Park Grill as one of the "choice outdoor spots in town."[18] The 2004/2005 Zagat survey named the restaurant among the 5 "Top Newcomers" to Chicago.[19] New City Chicago magazine named it one of the top 100 essential restaurants in the city, urging, "Ignore the scandal over sweetheart deals with the city for a moment and consider this: Park Grill sits in the hottest spot in the city today, if not in America."[20]

History

In 2003 the Chicago Park District awarded a 20-year contract to run the Park Grill.[21]

Background of managing partners

Matthew A. O'Malley and James Horan are the managing partners.[21]

O'Malley once worked for the powerful U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.). O'Malley runs the Chicago Firehouse Restaurant, around the corner from the home of Mayor Richard M. Daley, who has been a steady customer. The restaurant is in an old firehouse bought from the city and re-purposed. O'Malley also has been a business partner with the son of power broker and former Ald. Edward Vrdolyak.[21] O'Malley and his brother Paul were picked to run the Clock Tower Cafe at the Sydney Marovitz Golf Course in Lincoln Park on the Chicago lakefront.[22]

James Horan is a respected restaurant owner and caterer who runs Blue Plate Catering. Blue Plate runs a cafe at Gallery 37, an after-school program created and fostered by Mayor Daley's wife, Maggie Daley.[21]

Background of investors

O'Malley lined up more than 80 investors for the Park Grill including some of Mayor Richard M. Daley's friends and neighbors.[21] Investors put up $200,000 for one share of the restaurant.[21] Among the investors are Daley's friend Fred Barbara[21][23][24], a nephew of the late Alderman Fred Roti.[21] Barbara has ties to the Hired Truck Program scandal and the blue bag recycling controversy.[21] Other investors include relatives of Daley's political adviser Timothy Degnan.[21][23] Other investors include two neighbors of the mayor, Ray Chinn[21][24], a clout-heavy O'Hare Airport contractor, and Rick Simon, a controversial figure who runs a janitorial business and sits on the board of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.[21] Also among the investors is former congressman Morgan F. Murphy, who has had business dealings with convicted labor boss John Serpico.[21]

Among the vendors for Park Grill is an architectural metal company owned by the son of Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd).[21]

Contract award process

O'Malley's and two other groups submitted proposals to run the restaurant in September 2001. By the end of the year, O'Malley's team had been selected to run the restaurant, souvenir and concession stands, and a cafe in the new Millennium Park.[21] The Park Grill group was, technically, the bidder promising the lowest rental revenues to the Park District.[25] The agreement requires that Park Grill pay a minimum fee of $275,000 per year along with a percent of sales.[26] In its first year of operation, Park Grill paid $162,656.72 in rent.[23] The Park Grill, as part of its deal with the Park District, gets free water, gas and garbage pickup. The garbage pickup costs taxpayers about $245,000 annually.[21]

The Park District team, including an outside consultant, spent 18 months negotiating a contract with O'Malley's group.[21] During that time, Laura Foxgrover, a top official in the Park District department directly overseeing the deal, gave birth to O'Malley 's child.[21][22][24][25][27][28][29][30][31][32] Prior to working for the Park District, Foxgrover had been an employee of O'Malley at the Chicago Firehouse Restaurant.[22] Foxgrover, who held the title "senior project manager" at the Park District at an annual salary of $94,000, wrote a memo recusing herself in May 2002 but never told her superiors she was carrying O'Malley's child.[27] The girl was born in September, 2002.[21] The O'Malley Park Grill deal was signed Feb. 11, 2003.[21][27][22]

Foxgrover remained involved in the Millennium Park restaurant long after she recused herself.[28] Foxgrover spoke in favor of the restaurant getting a liquor license before a City Council committee in October 2003[24] while O'Malley owed Foxgrover at least $5,000.[22][33] On the same day, Foxgrover worked to get O'Malley's Clock Tower Cafe a liquor license.[22] In one July 2003 e-mail, Foxgrover, then the acting director of park services, says that if O'Malley's contractor has any questions for the Park District, she'll be the point person.[28] In August 2003, O'Malley's partner in the restaurant, James Horan, sent out an e-mail mentioning a discussion Horan had with Foxgrover, in which Horan asked Foxgrover if the Park District would waive a form of insurance on the restaurant's construction.[28]

A provision in the Park Grill contract allows the restaurant's owners to arrange a series of summer concerts on the Millennium Park ice-skating rink, drawing crowds that bolster food and drink sales. In summer 2004, O'Malley and his partners asked Clear Channel-owned WNUA Radio to conduct the concerts. In February 2005, Foxgrover led a five-member Park District committee that chose Clear Channel over JAM Productions to operate the new concert venue at Northerly Island on the former site of Meigs Field.[25][34][33]

Foxgrover was the subject of an ethics investigation.[22] An ethics officer for the Chicago Board of Ethics concluded that Foxgrover did not violate the district's ethics ordinance and should be allowed to keep her $90,000-a-year job as the Park District's director of development.[35]

Mayor Richard M. Daley criticized the Park Grill deal, saying that lawyers for the city and the Chicago Park District erred and that the city wanted to renegotiate the pact. "Lawyers do make mistakes," Daley said. "That's what it was. ... It's embarrassing to them. Yes it is--the corporation counsel and the Park District counsel."[36][23] In a Feb. 9 2005 letter to Park Grill partners O'Malley and Horan, Chicago's Corporation Counsel Mara Georges warned that the concession agreement "does not authorize your occupation of the Park Grill facilities" because the city owns the land and City Hall was not party to the agreement.[29] On February 11, 2005 Daley said he is asking state lawmakers to impose tougher punishments on public employees who engage in misconduct, people who steal government property and companies that falsely claim to be owned by minorities or women to get government contracts, on the same day he was peppered with questions about why the Park Grill has not paid any property taxes and, as part of its deal with the Chicago Park District, gets free gas, water and garbage pick-up.[37]

The Chicago Sun-Times dubbed the Park Grill "Clout Cafe"[28] and included the contract award process in a year-end review of Daley administration scandals.[30]

Exemption from property tax

On March 16, 2005 Cook County Assessor James Houlihan's office sent Horan and O’Malley a letter notifying Park Grill that it was being assessed at $502,550 and that it would be sent a bill in the fall for 2004 property taxes.[31][26] On August 5 Horan and O’Malley filed a lawsuit against the assessor, asking that a judge prohibit the county from imposing property taxes.[31] The owners asserted that their contract to run Park Grill was a property tax exempt concessionaire agreement and not a taxable lease.[31][26][38][39] The Assessor's office countered that the contract was, in fact, a lease and was a license only in name.[31] In 2009 an appellate court sided with the owners, affirming the circuit court's finding that the agreement to run Park Grill was not a lease but a license.[38] Park Grill remains exempt from property taxes, and the contract has not been renegotiated.[32][26][40][41]

Film location

The Lake House (film), starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, filmed scenes from the Park Grill (called Il Mare in the movie) in which Bullock's character (Kate) watches skaters from the windows of the restaurant.[42][43]

Bernard Laskowski, formerly of Chicago restaurants Marche and mk, is the executive chef.[1] The menu is traditional American food with international influences.[44][15][16][45] Park Grill hamburgers achieved high citywide rankings in several publications, including best burgers in Time Out Chicago (2005) and Citysearch (2008).[46][47][48][49][50]

The Park Cafe, adjacent to the Park Grill, offers takeout food such as salads and sandwiches.[51]

References

  1. ^ a b Glenn, Brandon (August 01), "Restaurant veteran is new GM at Park Grill", Crain's Chicago Business, retrieved 03/13/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date=, and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  2. ^ Millennium Park: Dining and Accommodations, retrieved 2010-03-13
  3. ^ Hall, Christopher (June 20, 2004), "TRAVEL ADVISORY; Chicago Adds Bold Touches to Its Lakefront", New York Times, p. 53, retrieved 03/13/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ a b Baty, Chris (2006). Chicago (4 ed.). Lonely Planet. p. 131. ISBN 1740597966. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |firstn= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |lastn= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Official Site for Park Grill: Millennium Park, retrieved 2010-03-13
  6. ^ Staff (April 15, 2008), "Top 100 Independent Restaurants", Restaurants & Institutions, retrieved 3/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |name= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Sherman, Laura (August 29, 2007), "Perfect places to dine solo", USAToday.com, retrieved 03/13/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  8. ^ Kleaman, Kelly (Sunday, July 11, 2004), "Show Time for the Windy City's New Class Act", The Washington Post, pp. P02, retrieved 03/13/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  9. ^ Quigley, Kelly (November 21, 2003), "Millennium Park eatery to debut", Crain's Chicago Business, retrieved 03/13/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  10. ^ a b Gilfoyle, Timothy (2006). Millennium Park: Creating a Chicago Landmark. University of Chicago Press. p. 328, 442.
  11. ^ Chicago Magazine Dining Guide: Park Grill, retrieved 2010-03-15
  12. ^ Pratt, M. Kathleen. "City of Big". The Rotarian. 183 (8): 32. doi:2005-02. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help)
  13. ^ Mink, Randy (12/12/2005), "Chicago's cozy season: Winter is celebrated in the Windy City", Oakland Tribune: insidebayarea.com, retrieved 03/13/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date=, and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  14. ^ Wollenberg, Wendy (2007). Night+Day Chicago (14 ed.). ASDavis Media Group. p. 39. ISBN 0976601362. Retrieved 03/15/2010. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. ^ a b Hoekstra, David (2009). The Unofficial Guide to Chicago (8 ed.). Frommer's Group. p. 253. ISBN 0470379995. Retrieved 03/15/2010. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ a b Butler, Stephanie (2009). Fodor's Chicago 2010. ISBN 1400008603. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Page= ignored (|page= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help) Review also online
  17. ^ travel.nationalgeographic.com's Chicago Walking Tour: Millennium and Grant Parks, retrieved 03/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  18. ^ "Zagat Buzz: Chicago Edition. "Do It Outdoors."", zagat.com, 4/24/2009, retrieved 3/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  19. ^ Zagat Survey Announces 2004/05 Chicago Restaurants Guide, 6/29/2004, retrieved 3/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  20. ^ editorial staff, "Resto 100: Chicago's Essential Restaurants", New City Chicago, retrieved 3/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Text "date 03/01/2005" ignored (help)
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Novak, Tim; Warmbir, Steve; Herguth, Robert; Brown, Mark (February 11, 2005). "City puts heat on clout-heavy cafe; Changes ordered at Park Grill, with Daley cronies among backers". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved March 17, 2010. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Warmbir, Steve; Novak, Tim (2005-03-24). "Park official's baby spurs ethics probe; Fathered by partner in restaurant in which she played a role". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  23. ^ a b c d Hinz, Greg (2/28/2005), "Park perks; Why did the city just get three local bids for a world class restraunt location?", Crain's Chicago Business, retrieved 3/18/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  24. ^ a b c d Ford, Liam; Washburn, Gary (2005-02-12). "Park restaurant pact revisited - Millennium cafe has investor list loaded with clout". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2010-03-18. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  25. ^ a b c Joravsky, Ben (2005-02-17). "A Percentage of Nothing; The Park Grill's deal with the city isn't just sweet--it's ridiculous". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  26. ^ a b c d Millennium Park Joint Venture v. Houlihan, Feb 29, 2009 http://www.state.il.us/court/opinions/AppellateCourt/2009/1stDistrict/June/1073141.pdf, retrieved Mar 15, 2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. ^ a b c Spielman, Fran (2005-02-12). "Park District reviews restaurant's lease; Daley, parks chief deny clout played part in deal". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  28. ^ a b c d e Spielman, Fran (2005-03-25). "Daley: City ethics panel given 'clout cafe' e-mails; Role of park official involved with restaurant partner being probed". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  29. ^ a b Spielman, Fran (2005-02-16). "Park District wasn't allowed to give lease; Daley aide says it's city that actually owns Park Grill site". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-03-18. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  30. ^ a b Spielman, Fran (Jan 2 2006). "Daley's rough year: Wave of Scandals weakens mayor's influence". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved Mar 16 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  31. ^ a b c d e Joravsky, Ben (2005-09-02). "The Poor, Poor Park Grill; Even if they end up paying property taxes, they still have a ridiculously good deal" (PDF). Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  32. ^ a b Joravsky, Ben (July 16, 2009). "Still No Property Tax Bill for the Park Grill: The restaurant under the Bean wins another round in its fight to avoid paying up like everybody else". Chicago Reader. Retrieved Mar 15, 2010.
  33. ^ a b Spielman, Fran; HERRMANN, ANDREW (2005-04-19). "Ethical clouds gather for park official; Role in selection of concert venue operator under investigation". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  34. ^ Joravsky, Ben (2005-03-03). "Giving Away the Farm; Here's an Idea: How About an Airport?; Who Was on That Committee Anyway? The Park District's latest bad deal--building a concert venue on Northerly Island and then letting Clear Channel charge admission--won't even cover what it cost to rip up Meig field". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  35. ^ Spielman, Fran (2006-03-25). "Judge: Official didn't violate ethics in Millennium Park deal". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-03-16. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  36. ^ "City wants new park restaurant pact". Chicago Tribune. Knight Ridder/Tribune. Feb 17, 2005. Retrieved Mar 15, 2010.
  37. ^ Associated Press (2005-02-13). "Illinois Mayor wants tougher penalties". Mobile Register. Retrieved 2010-03-23. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  38. ^ a b Metcalf, Scott (7/15/2009), Front and Center Legal Updates and Analysis: Millennium Park Restaurant at Center of Appellate Court Opinion Clarifying When Property is Taxable, retrieved 3/17/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  39. ^ Gallun, Alby (November 05, 2005), "Park Grill sues to block taxes", Crain's Chicago Business, retrieved 03/15/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  40. ^ Rhodes, Steve (July 28, 2009). "Clout Cafe Wins Again". nbcchicago.com. Retrieved Mar 15, 2010.
  41. ^ Schroedter, Andrew (2009-06-29). "Park Grill not required to pay property taxes: ruling". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 2010-03-17. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  42. ^ "Chick Flicks in Chicago Movie Experience", Explore Chicago: City of Chicago's Official Tourism Site, retrieved 2010-03-15
  43. ^ Wisby, Gary (April 17, 2005), "Reeves-Bullock film also will star Cook County house" (PDF), Chicago Sun-Times, retrieved 03/15/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  44. ^ Tiebert, Laura (2007). Chicago for Dummies (4 ed.). For Dummies. p. 152. ISBN 0470124806. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |access date= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ Frommer's Portable Chicago (5 ed.). John Wiley and Sons. 2006. ISBN 0471763861.
  46. ^ Vettel (June 14, 2005), Metromix Chicago: Chicago's best burgers, retrieved 03/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |First= ignored (|first= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ Chicagoist: The Way They Make You Feel: Trib Ranks Best Burgers, 06/14/2005, retrieved 3/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  48. ^ "Student Guide: Best Burgers", Time Out Chicago, 9/12/2007, retrieved 03/16/2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
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  50. ^ Best Chicago Hamburgers 2008 {{citation}}: Text "access date 3/17/2010" ignored (help)
  51. ^ Tiebert, Laura (2010). Frommer's Chicago Free & Dirt Cheap. John Wiley and Sons. p. 101. ISBN 047073650X.

Official Park Grill Site


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