Chicago 1992 World's Fair facts for kids

The Chicago 1992 World's Fair was a big event that was planned for Chicago. It would have been the first World's Fair in the United States since 1984. The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which approves these fairs, said yes to Chicago in 1982.

However, three years later, Chicago decided not to host the fair. This happened because political leaders stopped supporting it. There were also worries that the fair would cost too much money and not make enough back. This planned fair was meant to happen at the same time as the Seville Expo '92 in Spain.

Chicago's Fair History

Chicago had already hosted two major World's Fairs before. The first was the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. The second was the Century of Progress from 1933 to 1934. The 1893 fair happened before the BIE was created. The 1933 fair was officially approved by the BIE.

How the Idea Started

The idea for a 1992 World's Fair in Chicago began in the late 1970s. Architects like Harry Weese had been thinking about it for a while. They wanted to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the "New World".

In 1977, an article by Charles Brubaker, an architect, mentioned the idea publicly. By 1978, Chicago city officials told the BIE they were interested. In 1979, a group of Chicago architects started meeting regularly. They discussed how to make the fair happen. Famous architects like Gertrude Kerbis and Helmut Jahn were part of this group.

In 1980, Harry Weese met with business leaders. They wanted to improve Chicago's image. This led to a special committee being formed. The official Chicago World's Fair - 1992 Steering Committee was set up in February 1981.

Becoming the Host City

Chicago's Journey to Host the Fair

In October 1980, the United States Secretary of Commerce told the BIE that the U.S. wanted to apply. The Chicago fair committee also contacted the BIE. Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne showed her strong support for the fair.

In January 1981, the planning group officially became the Chicago World's Fair - 1992 Corporation. Many important groups supported the fair. The Illinois General Assembly, the Chicago City Council, and Illinois Governor James R. Thompson all gave their approval.

By November 1981, United States President Ronald Reagan also supported the fair. He offered help from his office. Mayor Jane Byrne's plans for Chicago included the 1992 World's Fair. Many companies donated money to the fair corporation. These included Commonwealth Edison and Marshall Field's.

Chicago was chosen as the U.S. candidate city. It won against other cities like New York and Miami.

Competing for International Approval

Chicago was competing with Paris to host a "universal exposition." Paris wanted to host a fair in 1989. This would celebrate 200 years since the French Revolution.

On June 24, 1982, the BIE approved both Chicago's and Paris's plans. They made an exception to their rule about how often "universal expositions" could be held. They also approved Seville to host a "general exhibition" in 1992.

Fair Design and Location Ideas

Chicago planned to host the fair in 1992. It would celebrate 500 years since Christopher Columbus arrived in the "New World." Several architect teams shared their ideas for the fairgrounds.

A plan by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was chosen. It involved adding a lot of new land into the lake, called "lakefill." The fair would use 23 blocks of Chicago's lakefront. This covered 475 acres on the Near South Side. It included existing land and 180 acres of new lakefill.

The plan also included closing Meigs Field, a small airport. New artificial islands would be built in the lake. This new parkland would help fulfill Daniel Burnham's vision for Chicago. The fair was expected to have 65 million visitors. It was estimated to cost between $400 million and $600 million.

Planning and Challenges

Architects like Harry Weese worked closely on the fair's design. There was also a Women's Committee for the fair. They wanted to make sure women were well represented. They hoped for a Women's Building, like the one at the 1893 fair.

A new Chicago mayor, Harold Washington, was elected in 1983. He and new city council members were less supportive of the fair. Mayor Washington did not want the city to pay for unexpected extra costs. Some city council members wanted the fair moved to different parts of the city.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan invited U.S. states and foreign countries to join the fair. However, federal support was limited. The fair faced problems because it didn't get enough money or help from the government.

There were ongoing debates about where the fair should be located. Many other sites were suggested. One architect, Bertrand Goldberg, proposed a "floating World's Fair" on the Chicago River. Another popular idea was a large site on Lake Calumet on the far south side.

Money Troubles for the Fair

When Chicago first bid, the fair was estimated to cost $400 million to $600 million. But the cost estimates kept rising. By 1984, it was $800 million. By 1985, the price reached $1.1 billion.

The fair struggled to get enough money from private companies or from the state and local governments. Experts estimated that the fair would need over 50 million visitors to make enough money. For example, in 1984, with an $800 million cost, it needed 54.5 million visitors to break even.

Fair officials thought it would make a profit. But other studies predicted huge losses. In 1984, the fair failed to get a $450 million loan from Illinois. The final plan suggested that private investors would provide $511 million. The State of Illinois was asked for $278 million. The U.S. government was expected to give $80 million. Chicago was to provide $28 million for Navy Pier.

State lawmakers were concerned that private investors would get their money back before the state. They also wanted the city to pay more. The federal government's money was not guaranteed. In the end, the Chicago city government refused to invest financially in the fair.

Why the Fair Was Cancelled

The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans failed financially. It went bankrupt. This was a big blow to Chicago's fair plans.

In June 1985, the Illinois state legislature refused to give money to the fair. They called the plan "misguided, risky, and fatally flawed." A group of advisors said that going ahead with the fair would be a "misguided economic decision."

The fair lost the support of Governor James R. Thompson and other key leaders. Chicago Mayor Harold Washington also did not support it. By the time it was cancelled in 1985, $12 million had already been spent. In December 1987, the BIE officially withdrew its approval. This meant the 1992 Chicago World's Fair was truly over.