[corn-you-copia] WGN Moving out of Tribune Tower
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- Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2017 19:31:00 -0500
*As I've always said "There is nothing more permanent than change." And so
reports Chicago entertainment and media guy, Robert Feder.*
WGN Radio leaving Tribune Tower next year
posted on
<http://www.robertfeder.com/2017/07/25/wgn-radio-leaving-tribune-tower-next-
year/> July 25, 2017 at
<http://www.robertfeder.com/2017/07/25/wgn-radio-leaving-tribune-tower-next-
year/> 6:30 pm by <http://www.robertfeder.com/author/robert/> Robert Feder
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Tribune Tower
It's official: <http://wgnradio.com/> WGN AM 720 will be leaving its
longtime headquarters at Tribune Tower and relocating next year to new
studios and offices across the Chicago River.
The move, confirmed by Tribune Broadcasting Tuesday, came despite earlier
assurances that management of the news/talk station had
<http://www.robertfeder.com/2016/08/31/wgn-radio-no-plans-to-leave-tribune-t
ower/> no plans to leave Tribune Tower and intended to
<http://www.robertfeder.com/2016/08/31/wgn-radio-no-plans-to-leave-tribune-t
ower/> extend its lease with the building's new owners. The current lease
expires in June 2018.
Instead, WGN Radio will join two other units of Tribune Media in moving
across the river to the Illinois Center complex, occupying two floors of the
28-story high-rise at 303 East Wacker Drive. Tribune Media sold the 1925
landmark neo-Gothic Tribune Tower at 435 North Michigan Avenue last year to
Los Angeles-based developer CIM Group in a $240 million deal.
Word of the move also comes as WGN Radio is on track to be sold as part of
the $6.6 billion acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
"I'm pleased to tell you that we've have decided to relocate WGN Radio to
303 E. Wacker, the same building in which the broadcast and technology
groups will be working," Larry Wert, president broadcast media for Tribune
Media, wrote in a memo to staff.
"We purposely chose this space in order to remain together as a broadcast
'family.' The new space is being custom-designed for the radio station and
will be state-of-the-art. While we will give up the showcase studio on
Michigan Avenue, listeners will hear no difference in the outstanding
programing WGN has provided for nearly nine decades.
"The build-out of our new space is progressing rapidly and we're excited by
the opportunities it presents," he wrote.
At Tribune Tower, where the station was founded by the Chicago Tribune ("The
World's Greatest Newspaper"), WGN currently occupies facilities on the
seventh floor in addition to the street-level showcase studio overlooking
Michigan Avenue and Pioneer Court.
Here is the text of Wert's memo to WGN staff:
All -
As you know, last fall the company sold Tribune Tower. Over the past
several months we've been reviewing our options for relocating WGN Radio;
the station's lease at the Tower expires in June 2018 and the new owner
expects to repurpose the space we currently use.
I'm pleased to tell you that we've have decided to relocate WGN Radio to 303
E. Wacker, the same building in which the broadcast and technology groups
will be working. We purposely chose this space in order to remain together
as a broadcast "family." The new space is being custom-designed for the
radio station and will be state-of-the-art. While we will give up the
showcase studio on Michigan Avenue, listeners will hear no difference in the
outstanding programing WGN has provided for nearly nine decades.
The build-out of our new space is progressing rapidly and we're excited by
the opportunities it presents. From an employee stand-point, 303 E. Wacker
has several advantages, including easy access to mass transportation,
parking, multiple dining options, a free gym, a free shuttle between the
building and both Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center, and
access to the Loop's underground pedway.
I know it's difficult to think about leaving the Tower, but it won't be the
first time the radio station has left the building. From the early 1960s
through the mid-80s, WGN Radio operated from Bradley Place on the north side
of the city.
While the move is several months away, now would be a good time to begin the
process of sorting through files and other materials and determining what's
worth keeping and what's not. We'll have more information about document
retention in the days ahead.
As we move forward, we'll keep you updated regarding our progress in the
build-out of WGN Radio's new home. In the meantime, please let Todd, Jeff
or me know if you have questions. Big thanks to Bill M. and Todd and Jeff on
helping us assess our options here.
720 Love,
Larry
<http://www.robertfeder.com/2017/07/25/wgn-radio-leaving-tribune-tower-next-
year/303-east-wacker-drive-2/>
303 East Wacker Drive
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