In a major blow to the University’s effort to bring a major hotel to Hyde Park, the 39th Precinct of the Fifth Ward voted Tuesday to institute a dry ban that would prevent the sale of alcohol. Of 477 votes cast, 249 residents supported the ban, while 228 voted against. A full breakdown of the vote is available here.
According to University and city officials, the ban severely jeopardizes the financial feasibility of a hotel on the Doctors Hospital site. Chicago law will prevent a reconsideration of the ban for four years.
More details to follow online and in Friday’s edition of the Maroon…
UPDATE: From the Hyde Park Hearld: “Sources are telling the Herald that the vote in the 39th Precinct of the 5th Ward to forbid sales of alcohol is in limbo following a complete meltdown of the voting technology at the voting site that included the precinct.”
