Chicago Spent $66 Million on Hospital That Treated 38 Coronavirus Patients

Alex Nester - August 14, 2020 4:20 PM

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot's (D.) decision to renovate a local convention center into a makeshift coronavirus hospital cost taxpayers nearly $66 million—though only 38 patients received treatment at the facility, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Friday.

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the agency Lightfoot tasked with overseeing the project, overlooked a bid from a construction company that offered to waive fees or donate them to coronavirus pandemic relief organizations. Instead, officials gave the bid to Walsh Construction, a politically connected contractor, which billed the city $65.9 million to renovate the McCormick Place convention center.

The decision cost taxpayers more than $1.7 million per patient. In contrast, the city spent $50 million total to equip three other centers in the Chicago area...........To Read More....