Have you read this article on AOPA? aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2 … meigs.html
Think there is any possibility of Meigs reopening?
I have my doubts. There is nothing left, so it would be an all new airport. It would cost millions to build a new airport. Would the FAA be willing to pay for it? The city?
zero chance of it happening. The land will eventually be used more productively than it is now (a concert venue in a park that nobody uses because it’s hard to get to) - but an airport that serves very few people was not an efficient use of the land either - that’s the underlying reason why Daley got rid of it.
He claimed it was for security due to the activity during 9/11. Nothing makes one look better 
and least in their own eyes than doing something outrageous to help the people. IT was a power trip and nothing more. The sick part is the $33k fine the FAA imposed. They should’ve had him arrested for numerous federal charges.
Daley got rid of it for political gain with his cronys, period. If there had been good reason to close Meigs, Daley wouldn’t have had to do it illegally in the middle of the night. He should be in federal prison as far as I’m concerned. If I destroyed millions in taxpayer owned infastructure in the middle of the night, I would be locked up. Meigs was one of the most used airports of its size. It offered immediate downtown access and relieved a lot of GA traffic from the commercial airports. Now the closest is Midway, which is a half hour commute away, on a good day.
AMEN!
I worked for several carriers that flew SPI-CGX (Meigs). At one point we had over 10 flights a day each way per carrier. PLUS the State of Illinois used it extensively with it’s King Air fleet. That’s just State business between SPI and CHI. So we’re not talking all other corporate flying from here and elsewhere, nor the GA traffic that went in to purchase gas and spend money when they WALKED to downtown to see the sites!
I read in AOPA magazine that historically, when airports were closed, very few ever opened again. But given its history, Meigs could be different.
The few that do reopen, it is because the infastructure is still there. With Meigs, there is nothing left. Chicago removed almost everything and turned into a park…a lot more valuable use of space right?
It is when you live near by and want a park to walk in.
Chicago has more green space than any other city its size. Even if the city did want to close Meigs, it could have taken the steps to do it legally. An illegal operation in the middle of the night was not the way to do it. They were extremely lucky no one got killed, trying to land on that runway that night after they demolished it.
the whole friggin lake front is a park or beach, not to mention Millenium and the park with the fountain (cant remember name)!
On other discussion, isn’t the terminal still there? I’ve been up there but not by Meigs. I was thinking they turned the terminal into an office for the park district. I might be wrong.
Daley got rid of it because he is a Daley and thinks he can do whatever he wants. That and he wanted to create another little monument to himself. Keep in mind that he is the jackass who claimed that Meigs was “deserted” when the Chicago Fire Department had their own helicopters based there!!
Sad to say there is almost no possibility of building another airport on that site. I’m just glad I was a frequent visitor before it was bulldozed.