SECTIONS
  • Journal Home
  • Business/Real Estate
  • Sports
  • Arlington Hts./Topics
  • DES PLAINES
  • Elk Grove
  • Glenview
  • Mt. Prospect
  • Niles
  • Park Ridge
  • Prospect Hts.
  • Rosemont
  • Travel
  • Movie Scene
  • Obituaries
  • Write A Speak Out!
  • Read Latest Speak Out!
  • Calendar (NorthStarNet)
  • E-Mail the Journal

    AROUND TOWN

  • City of Des Plaines
  • Des Plaines Public Library
  • Des Plaines Park District
  • Des Plaines Community Senior Center
  • Chamber of Commerce
  • Historical Society
  • School District 62
  • School District 59
  • Maine West H.S.

    		•
    DES PLAINES JOURNAL / Last updated Thursday, December 23, 2004, 12:58 p.m.
    Speak Out! / E-Mail / Subscribe

    Big Business In Billboards

    Sorting Out Des Plaines' Billboard Dilemma

    PHOTOS

    James Dvorak


    Illinois Crime Commission committee chairman Patrick O'Malley listens to Des Plaines residents present testimony Dec. 1 on the city's billboard controversy during public hearing held at a local hotel. Journal Photo


    These two recently built Lamar Outdoor Advertising billboards are located near Mt. Prospect Road in Des Plaines along the Northwest Tollway. Journal Photo


    Seminole Park in Des Plaines where billboard may go up. Journal Photo


    Billboards like this one---just North of Balmoral Avenue and next to the proposed casino location---have been big earners for Rosemont. Journal Photo

    Top archived stories published by the Journal

  • Dvorak Was No Stranger To Des Plaines City Hall

    • December 22, 2004 James Dvorak, the ex-convict who worked for a company hired by the city to sell property earmarked for redevelopment and who co-owned a billboard company that landed a lucrative deal from the city in 2003, was somewhat of a familiar figure in Des Plaines City Hall during a period of time between 2001 and 2004.

  • Chicago Company Wants A Piece Of The Action

    • December 15, 2004 Representatives of a Chicago billboard company are scheduled to meet with Des Plaines officials this week to discuss the possibility that the company will be permitted to erect one or more outdoor advertising signs along local tollway.

  • Legal Threats Open Door For Billboard Requests

    • December 8, 2004 Facing numerous threats of litigation, Des Plaines aldermen Monday night agreed to open the door for media giant Viacom to apply for city permits to erect five billboards along local tollways.

  • Commission Hears The Public's Side

    • December 3, 2004 Three Des Plaines residents Wednesday night presented a long list of concerns and complaints about the way the City of Des Plaines conducts public business, focusing primarily on the awarding of billboard rights in 2003 to a company that was partly-owned by a convicted felon.

  • City Council Wants To Guard Against Communication Lapses

    • December 3, 2004 Concern expressed by City Council members Monday night that a lack of communication may have contributed to problems associated with the awarding of billboard rights to a single area company has triggered an internal review to determine what happened and to head off any similar problems in the future.

  • Push For Billboard Probe

    • December 1, 2004 Des Plaines aldermen Monday night said they will strongly urge law enforcement agencies to investigate the possibility of criminal wrongdoing in the city's awarding of billboard rights in 2003.

  • Billboard Backlash Is Concern For EDC

    • December 1, 2004 Two members of the city's Economic Development Commission (EDC) within the past week have contacted some aldermen expressing their concerns about the potential negative fall out over the billboard issue.

  • City Resumes Possible Billboard Lawsuit Talks

    • November 26, 2004 Members of a Des Plaines City Council committee will huddle in a closed-to-the-public meeting Monday night to discuss the possibility that the city will be sued over the subject of billboards.

  • State Crime Probe Set For Dec. 1

    • November 24, 2004 The Illinois Crime Commission will conduct a public hearing on Des Plaines' billboard controversy and other local government issues on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at the Doubletree Club Hotel, Touhy Avenue and Mannheim/Lee streets in Des Plaines. The hearing will begin at 7 p.m.

  • Des Plaines Toughens Disclosure Requirement

    • November 24, 2004 In the wake of recent controversies at City Hall, Des Plaines is now requiring those wishing to do business with the city to disclose more information about themselves.

  • Former City Attorney Assists Des Plaines Officials

    • November 19, 2004 A former Des Plaines city attorney has been called on by city officials to help iron-out problems involving the billboard controversy.

  • Billboard Talk Monopolizes Council's Executive Session

    • November 17, 2004 Further discussion on a potential lawsuit and other matters related to the building of as many as 10 billboards in Des Plaines will resume on Monday, Nov. 29, aldermen decided Monday night.

  • Former Detective Will Spearhead Investigation

    • November 17, 2004 A former Chicago police detective who runs his own private detective agency will lead the Illinois Crime Commission's investigation into the awarding of billboard rights in Des Plaines and the community's involvement in trying to land a casino.

  • 'Someone Is Getting Awfully Rich...'

    • November 12, 2004 An attorney representing a Chicago area billboard company said his client was frozen out of erecting one or more outdoor advertising signs in Des Plaines after initially believing that the process of applying to build signs would be open to any interested firm.

  • Committee Could Review Billboard Matter

    • November 10, 2004 A former Senator will be among those looking into the billboard matter in Des Plaines, as well as continuing to seek insight into the casino issue.

  • Referral Fee Was Paid To Prime Site LLC

    • November 10, 2004 The developers of a large section of downtown Des Plaines paid a referral fee---believed to be $200,000---to an area company for helping the firm land a multi-million dollar redevelopment project in downtown Des Plaines.

  • Crime Panel Will Look At Billboards

    • November 5, 2004 A blue ribbon committee is in the process of being formed by the Illinois Crime Commission to conduct an inquiry into the probable issuance of a 10th casino license in Illinois as well as the questioned awarding of billboard rights in Des Plaines.

  • Seeking A Higher Power

    • November 3, 2004 The Illinois Attorney General and Cook County State's Attorney's offices will soon be asked by Des Plaines to conduct criminal investigations into the circumstances surrounding the awarding of rights to a suburban company to erect 10 billboards in the city.

  • Off The Record: Billboard Fiasco A Simple Case Of Not Minding The Store

    • November 3, 2004 Heads should roll whether or not law enforcement authorities discover that a crime was committed on the city's awarding of billboard rights to a connected company in 2003.

  • Aldermen Ask For Full Investigation

    • October 27, 2004 Half of Des Plaines aldermen are asking that a full, independent investigation be conducted into the facts surrounding the awarding of rights to a billboard company whose former president and shareholder is a convicted felon.

  • Silence Is Not So Golden To Council

    • October 27, 2004 An attempt was recently thwarted that would have required all eight Des Plaines aldermen to sign affidavits swearing that they did not leak information to the local media concerning the ownership of stock by a billboard company.

  • Addition Made To City Reports Suggesting Billboard Possibility

    • October 22, 2004 Despite strong recommendations in 2003 against a proposal to allow Premere Outdoor, Inc. the right to erect 10 billboards in the city, language was inserted into city staff and advisory commission reports suggesting that a number of large outdoor advertising signs be permitted to be built in certain areas of Des Plaines, according to a knowledgeable city employee.

  • Lack Of Lighting Law Used To Force Sign Move

    • October 22, 2004 The absence of a city ordinance governing the illumination of billboards is being used by city officials to pressure a major outdoor advertising company to move a controversial large sign it owns from the corner of Touhy Avenue and River Road.

  • 2 Aldermen, Mayor Met With Dvorak

    • October 20, 2004 Three Des Plaines elected city officials have had lunch and in some cases sat in on meetings in recent years with convicted felon James Dvorak, the Journal has learned.

  • We Want Thorough Billboard Probe---Ald. Smith

    • October 20, 2004 An anticipated report on the city's relationship with Premere Outdoor, Inc. billboard company, due to be unveiled and discussed on Oct. 27, probably won't be enough to satisfy most of the city's eight aldermen, according to one leading member of City Council.

  • Sign Company Wasted No Time Selling Assets

    • October 13, 2004 Just 42 days after Des Plaines aldermen approved a deal in May of 2003 to permit the construction of 10 new lucrative billboards along local tollways, the rights to erect at least five of those large outdoor advertising signs were sold to one of the nation's largest billboard companies. It's believed the rights to the remaining signs have either been sold or are close to being sold to another large billboard company.

  • We Should Consider Owning Billboard, Says Park Commissioner

    • October 13, 2004 A veteran member of the Des Plaines Park Dist. Board this week said that if a new 80-ft. tall billboard is erected on park property, the district, not a private company, should own the sign.

  • Billboard Giant Confirms It Bought Premere In July Of 2003

    • October 6, 2004 Billboard company representatives are not saying much publicly while the City of Des Plaines investigates the legality of several billboard permit sales that took place over a year ago.

  • Rosemont's Billboard Approach Nets Profit

    • September 29, 2004 While Des Plaines officials in 2003 were happy to charge a few thousand dollars per year to allow a politically-connected company the authority to erect 10 billboards along local tollways, the Village of Rosemont years ago found a more lucrative way of making money on the large outdoor signs.

  • Disclosure Required On Relationships With Developers

    • September 29, 2004 The City of Des Plaines will soon require incoming businesses to divulge ownership interests in the company, including the identities of high-ranking officers.

  • City OKd Billboards Even Though Sites Not Determined

    • September 24, 2004 Des Plaines aldermen, apparently so eager to be paid $75,000 over a three-year period to finance future July 4th fireworks displays, agreed in April 2003 to award a lucrative deal to a connected company to erect 10 billboards in the city.

  • Top City Officials Take Concerns About Billboard Deal, Dvorak To U.S. Attorney

    • September 22, 2004 Toting several dozen pages of city documents, Mayor Tony Arredia, City Manager Dave Niemeyer and City Attorney Dave Wiltse met with a representative of the U.S. Attorney's office last Friday to discuss city concerns about 10 billboards slated to be erected along local tollways.

  • Sign Companies Target Park District Sites

    • September 22, 2004 The two park districts that serve Des Plaines residents have each been told that they can earn more than $1 million over the next 20 years if they agree to permit the building of at least one large billboard on property they own.

  • As You Near O'Hare, Billboard Values Go Up

    • September 22, 2004 If you take a ride on the Northwest or Tri-State tollways in the Chicagoland area you'll notice a gold mine in the form of billboards touting everything from Mexican food to gentlemen's clubs.

  • Convicted Felon Linked To Firm That Won Billboard Rights From Des Plaines

    • September 22, 2004 New documents obtained by the Journal this week show that convicted felon James Dvorak had a strong connection to Premere Outdoor, Inc., as late as December of last year.

  • Memo Urges Council To Keep Quiet

    • September 15, 2004 As city officials begin the task of trying to unravel details of how the assets and possibly all or some of 10 permits to erect large billboards along sections of the Tri-State and Northwest tollways were recently transferred or sold from one company to another, the city's eight aldermen have quietly been warned not to speculate at all on the matter.

  • Investigation Uncovers Alleged Mob Members Around The Area

    • September 15, 2004 An investigation commissioned by the Village of Rosemont attempts to clear the name of its mayor, but reveals that Chicago mob members lie just on the fringe of the village through occasional contacts and chance meetings. Whisperings of the mob have also surfaced in Des Plaines, where it appears an alleged mob associate is working to enter the city's billboard industry.

  • Ald. Smith Added To Those Calling For An Investigation

    • September 10, 2004 The possibility that former Cook County undersheriff and convicted felon James Dvorak having another connection to the City of Des Plaines has prompted Ald. Don Smith (7th) to join in the call for an investigation into the scope of Dvorak's involvement in city matters.

  • Des Plaines Wants To Determine Billboard Ownership

    • September 8, 2004 Des Plaines aldermen and staff decided Thursday not to issue any billboard permits until they hash out ownership rights.

  • Aldermen Lobbying For Further Study

    • August 27, 2004 Des Plaines Ald. Carla Brookman (5th), again this week called on City Council members to authorize an independent study of the city's contractual relationship with a company hired in 2001 to help assemble property for redevelopment of the Mannheim-Higgins Road area.

  • Report Reveals Who Approved Extension

    • August 25, 2004 A long awaited report on Des Plaines' hiring of a consultant in 2001 to help develop property in the Mannheim-Higgins Road area identifies the city employee who apparently authored a letter extending the original contract with the firm as well as the individual who affixed the Mayor's signature to the letter.

  • City Settles With Prime Site Group

    • August 4, 2004 The City of Des Plaines Monday night approved a $215,000 settlement with Prime Site Group LLC over a disputed 2003 contract extension with the company.

  • Big Billboard Is Bigger Problem For Residents

    • July 14, 2004 Des Plaines officials are scrambling to deal with homeowners' strong complaints about a billboard near River Road and Touhy Avenue.

  • Residents Riled Over Billboards At Touhy, River

    • June 30, 2004 Residents who live near River Road and Touhy Avenue in Des Plaines may not enjoy the 4th of July fireworks as much as in previous years.

  • Touhy-River Billboard Plan Upsets Homeowner

    • June 23, 2004 John Leone of Des Plaines isn't happy. He was home Friday and found a billboard being constructed near his home. "I sit in my kitchen and look out my window. This is all I can see," Leone said. "It's huge."