BUSINESS HEADLINES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> TWO LOW FARE AIRLINES
ANNOUNCE A MULTIBILLION DOLLAR
MERGER THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE
MIAMI DOLPHINS MAY HAVE AN
IMPACT ON THE RACE FOR CHICAGO'S
CASINO AND IF YOU ARE IN THE
HUNT FOR A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR
HOME, SORRY, THREE LOCAL
LISTINGS ARE NOW OFF THE TABLE.
BEHIND THE HEADLINES IS CRAIN'S
CHICAGO BUSINESS HE HAD SHORE
ANN DWYER.
FIRST, LOW FARE AIRLINES SPIRIT
AND FRONTIER ARE ANNOUNCING
PLANS TO MERGE AND THAT WOULD
MAKE IT THE FIFTH LARGEST
DOMESTIC AIRLINE.
WILL THIS IMPACT OPERATIONS AT
O'HARE OR MIDWAY?
>> IT WILL SOMEWHAT.
NOBODY IS EXPECTING THE COMBINED
AIRLINE IS GOING TO UPEND UNITED
OR AMERICAN.
BUT THE TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS
WE TALK TO DID SAY THAT THE
COMBINED SPIRIT AND FRONTIER
WILL CERTAINLY BE A MORE ABLE
COMPETITOR AT THAT ECONOMY END
OF THE MARKET.
LIKE THE WAY EASY JET DOMINATES
IN EUROPE, THE VISION HERE IS
THAT THESE TWO COMBINED COULD BE
SIMILAR.
NOW, AT O'HARE, THESE TWO
AIRLINES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
SORT OUT WHERE THEY WANT TO BE
LOCATED THEY CURRENTLY OCCUPY
TWO TERMINALS.
AT MIDWAY THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO EAT AWAY
AT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES'
DOMINANCE.
AND MOST TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS
THINK ONE THING THEY WILL DO IS
RAMPING UP MORE OFFERINGS TO THE
CARRIBBEAN AND MEXICO TO BE
COMPETITIVE IN THIS MARKET.
>> CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS'
GREG BEHIND REPORTS THERE MAY BE
A SHADOW CAST OVER THE CHICAGO
CASINO RACE BECAUSE OF THE MIAMI
DOLPHINS CONTROVERSY.
ANN, SPAIN TO US HOW THE TWO ARE
LINKED?
>> THE LINK IS RELATED MIDWEST.
WHICH IS THE LOCAL OUTPOST OF
RELATED COMPANIES AND ENTITY
THAT IS CONTROLLED BY STEVEN
ROSS WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE OWNER
OF THE MIAMI DOLPHINS.
NOW, ROSS HAS FOUND HIMSELF AT
THE CENTER OF CONTROVERSY ON TWO
FRONTS; THIS FORMER COACH BRIAN
FLORES HAS ALLEGED SYSTEMIC
RACISM WITHIN THE NFL AND AT THE
DOLPHINS ORGANIZATION.
AND MORE SHOCKINGLY, AND PERHAPS
MORE RELEVANT TO THE CASINO
BIDDING HERE IN CHICAGO, HE'S
ALSO ALLEGING THAT ROSS HAD
APPROACHED HIM TO THROW GAMES IN
ORDER TO PUT THE DOLPHINS IN A
BETTER POSITION FOR A DRAFT
PICK.
NOW I SHOULD NOTE THAT ROSS
VEHEMENTLY DENIES THE
ALLEGATIONS.
THE REASON WHY THE ALLEGATION
MIGHT BE RELEVANT IN CHICAGO IS
THAT RELATED MIDWEST IS INVOLVED
IN ONE OF THE FIVE BIDS FOR THE
CHICAGO CASINO.
AND CITY HALL IS UNDERSTANDABLY
WANTING TO BE SURE THAT WHATEVER
COMPANY LINES UP WITH THE
WINNING BID, IS SQUEAKY CLEAN.
THEY ARE SAYING SO FAR THAT
EVERY BIDDER --
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY A LOT MORE
TO KEEP AN EYE ON THERE.
AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
THREE LOCAL MULTIMILLION DOLLAR
HOMES NOW OFF THE MARKET AND
NEITHER YOU NOR I BOUGHT THEM.
BUT THEY CAME OFF THE MARKET
WITHOUT HITTING THE MARKET.
TELL US ABOUT THE HOMES BRIEFLY
AND THE DEMAND FOR THAT MARKET
SHARE?
>> IT TELLS US, BRANDIS, THAT
THE HIGHEST END OF THE CHICAGO
HOUSING MARKET IS CONTINUING TO
BE ON FIRE.
TALKING ABOUT LOCATIONS AT
NUMBER 9 WALTON STREET.
A LOCATION IN LINCOLN PARK AND
ANOTHER ON MOHAWK.
ALL OF THE LOCATIONS ARE
HIGH-END HOMES THAT SOLD NEAR $9
MILLION WITHOUT BEING LISTED.
SO THAT IS JUST A SIGN THAT THIS
END OF THE MARKET AT LEAST
DESPITE ALL THE DOOM AND GLOOM
THAT YOU OFTEN SEE ABOUT
CHICAGO, PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD
TO SPEND AT THAT LEVEL AND