Chicago Bulls President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf and Chicago Blackhawks Chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz to spotlight the 1901 Project and West Side economic opportunity
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce today announced that Danny Wirtz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Michael Reinsdorf, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Bulls, will serve as the featured keynote speakers at the Chamber’s 122nd Annual Meeting of Membership.
The 122nd Annual Meeting of Membership will take place on Tuesday, June 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CST at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
During the keynote conversation, Wirtz and Reinsdorf will discuss The 1901 Project, a long-term, multi-phased redevelopment effort focused on the area surrounding the United Center campus on Chicago’s West Side. The project is a $7 billion private investment across more than 55 acres, with plans that include housing, retail, entertainment, and significant public open space.
As leaders of organizations deeply rooted in Chicago’s civic and economic life, the two speakers will connect the project’s scale and ambition to its potential community outcomes, including job creation and long-term economic activity. Published project information highlights estimates of 32,000 construction jobs and 7,000 operational jobs, including 2,000 construction jobs in Phase 1. Additional figures cited on the project’s news page reference estimates of $4.5 billion in stabilized annual economic impact and $104 million in annual tax revenue.
The Chamber’s Annual Meeting of Membership is the premier gathering of Chicago’s business community, bringing together business and civic leaders to reflect on the year behind us and the opportunities ahead.
About Danny Wirtz
Danny Wirtz is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the Chicago Blackhawks as well as an NHL Governor. Danny is deeply committed to social impact and civic responsibility in the City of Chicago. He serves as Chairman of the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation, which focuses on investing and transforming the West Side of Chicago and honoring the team’s namesake by supporting Native American initiatives in partnership with the Sac & Fox Nation. Danny is the Chairman of Wirtz Corporation whose interests include sports and entertainment, beverage distribution and real estate. He serves as Co-Chairman of Breakthru Beverage, the third largest distributor of wine, spirits, and beer in North America and is also a member of the Board of Directors for Wine & Spirts Wholesalers of America. Danny launched Banner Studios, an award-winning video production and content studio and is a partner in Varyer, an integrated creative studio and brand advisory agency. Danny graduated from Boston College and resides in Chicago with his wife Anne and two daughters Rosemary and Juniper.
About Michael Reinsdorf
Michael Reinsdorf serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Bulls. In addition to his leadership role with the team, he is an NBA Governor and sits on both the NBA Media Committee and the NBA Planning Committee. Michael is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and The Economic Club of Chicago. He also serves on the boards of several prominent organizations, including the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation, After-School All-Stars, After-School Matters, World Business Chicago, Choose Chicago, Intersect Illinois, and the Board of Trustees for Northwestern University. Michael is also a member of the University of Chicago Crime Lab Investor’s Council, where he supports initiatives focused on reducing crime and violence in Chicago through data-driven partnerships with government and nonprofit organizations. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona. Michael and his wife, Nancy, who is President of Chicago Bulls Charities, have three children, and reside in Chicago.