Quinn Announces $6 Million Grant for Broadcast Museum

Gov. Pat Quinn has announced a $6 million capital grant to the Museum of Broadcast Communications to assist with the completion of its new facility in downtown Chicago.

In remarks prepared for an event with museum officials and supporters Friday night, Quinn said that as one of only three museums dedicated to broadcast history in the nation, completion of the project will help enhance Illinois' tourism industry.

MBC officials anticipate the completed museum will create approximately 200 jobs.

The 62,000-square-foot facility will be located at State and Kinzie Streets, next door to Harry Caray's Restaurant and the House of Blues Hotel.

The grant comes through Illinois Jobs Now!, a $31 billion capital plan aimed at creating and retaining more than 439,000 jobs over the next six years.  The appropriation was approved by the Illinois legislature last fall but museum officials never received the money.  Two restaurants that had signed leases to portions of the complex backed out of the deal because of the delays.

June is "Chicago Television Month" at the MBC.