Sears Tower names changes to Willis Tower (Chicago, Marshall: for sale, lease)

[NYC1DAY]

chicago sears tower to be renamed

Chicago's Sears Tower to Be Renamed - AOL Money & Finance (http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/bbdp/chicagos-sears-tower-to-be-renamed/380294 - broken link)

what do you think?

[HighPlainsDrifter73]

I'm not happy about it. I will always call it the 'Sears Tower' in conversation. I would hope that the media continues to refer to it as the Sears Tower.

[noid_1985]

Most Chicagoans aren't for it- for more info check //www.city-data.com/forum/chica...lis-tower.html

[Chicago60614]

Pretty stupid, everyone here just rolled their eyes. It will still be called Sears for years to come.

Although if they want to open up shop with 500 employees and lease up 140,000 square feet - can't agrue that in this economy.

[DailyJournalist]

Hey Money talks, Willis is paying up.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

This was mentioned in that thread Noid linked to on the Chicago forum, but I've actually changed my mind on this.

When it was first announced, I thought, "you can't do that! You can't rename a landmark!" Then I realized that Sears left the city of Chicago for the Suburbs 20 years ago, and Willis is actually bringing money and jobs IN. Money talks and BS walks. I may be the only Chicagoan to do so, but I will be calling this building the Willis Tower.

[DailyJournalist]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

Willis is actually bringing money and jobs

Thats what people in Chicago have to think of, jobs are more important than a name.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by DailyJournalist

Thats what people in Chicago have to think of, jobs are more important than a name.

Especially when one name is that of a company that took those things away from Chicago a couple of decades ago, and the other is the name of a company that's bringing those things TO Chicago now.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Pretty stupid, everyone here just rolled their eyes. It will still be called Sears for years to come.

Although if they want to open up shop with 500 employees and lease up 140,000 square feet - can't agrue that in this economy.

140,000 square feet is about 3% of the building's capacity. Hardly makes it a candidate for naming rights IMO. Might as well just rename the Hancock Center the Cheesecake Tower because there's a Cheesecake Factory on the ground floor.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

This was mentioned in that thread Noid linked to on the Chicago forum, but I've actually changed my mind on this.

When it was first announced, I thought, "you can't do that! You can't rename a landmark!" Then I realized that Sears left the city of Chicago for the Suburbs 20 years ago, and Willis is actually bringing money and jobs IN. Money talks and BS walks. I may be the only Chicagoan to do so, but I will be calling this building the Willis Tower.

You know, I might -- MIGHT -- make an exception if Willis actually bought the building or were even going to be a substantial tenant. But I don't see how occupying 3% of the building should persuade me to call it after them. I don't care if they bought the naming rights or not. Some landmarks are of such a scale and broad name recognition that they shouldn't be renamed even if the original tenant vacates. When's the last time Chrysler had anything to do with the Chrysler Building? When's the last time John Hancock had anything to do with the John Hancock Center? How long has it been since Transamerica vacated the Transamerica Pyramid? Could you imagine selling the naming rights to the Empire State Building? Why not put FIAT's logo on the Roman Coliseum if they pony up enough dough?

No more Marshall Field's. No more LaSalle Bank. No more Comiskey Park. No more First Chicago. I'm tired of people walking in here, buying every long-established Chicago name, changing it to their own without any regard for our traditions, and expecting our cooperation and goodwill. If the Sears Tower as an identity is for sale, then there's nothing here that isn't. Just once I'd like to see something significant and original about this town stay that way.