Sweet Home Chicago! That's right... it's "Sweet Home Chicago" for the Big Ten Network!
The newly formed Big Ten Network plans to set up its new headquarters in the historic Montgomery Ward building in Chicago's Near North neighborhood. The Big Ten Network studios will take 44,000 square feet of total space. The space will include two studios and three control rooms as well as a 20,000-square-foot office space.
Built in 1908, the historic 600 West Chicago Avenue building is now part of the Kingsbury Park master plan development that previously housed the Montgomery Ward and Company headquarters and catalog center. It was purchased and renovated at a reported cost of $250 million in 2000 with hopes of it becoming an upscale corporate campus and commerce hub.
The property is also currently leased to office tenants including the Bankers Life and Casualty Company, Level 3 Communications, Inc., Vertis, Inc. and Goldenberg, Hehmeyer & Company. Various retail tenants include Japonais Restaurant, David Barton Gym, Bockwinkel’s Food Market, Motel and Kitsch’n.
The Big Ten Network is scheduled to launch in August 2007. It will carry many of the conference games and events previously available only through syndication, providing greater exposure for Big Ten sports. With the explosion of sports networks like ESPN, many think this is an attempt by the Big Ten Conference to get its piece of the pie.
For more on the Big Ten Network and Big Ten sports, be sure to check out BigTenTalk.com, a fan site devoted to mature and intelligent Big Ten athletics discussion.
About the Author: Jason Svoboda is the creator and administrator of BigTenTalk.com, a fan site devoted to mature and intelligent Big Ten athletics discussion.
Source: www.isnare.com
