A ceremonial groundbreaking was held Wednesday afternoon for a $7 billion project that aims to overhaul the area surrounding the United Center on the Near West Side.

“This is a project that is going to create thousands of jobs and opportunities for the people across the city, but particularly for development on the West Side,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “This is a clear indication that the city of Chicago remains open for business, but we’re just not for sale.”

Work started before the final balloon even hit the ground, but it will take a couple of days for crews to fully clear all of the barriers around the United Center and McCormick Place.

It’s been a bumpy ride for residents living near the United Center. Ald. Walter Burnett (27th Ward) shared that the neighborhood is no stranger to parking restrictions, especially during game days and events, but said the city’s planning for the DNC has had a lot of moving parts.

A local husband-and-wife team leads a collective of artists who create monuments to sports stars and heroes of all kinds. Their big break came 30 years ago when the Chicago Bulls commissioned them to make a monument to Michael Jordan. The 15-foot sculpture, titled “The Spirit,” stands inside the United Center.

U.S. District Court Judge Andrea Wood ruled that the 1.4-mile march route proposed by Chicago officials was sufficient to ensure that the Coalition to March on the DNC can protest while Democratic delegates gather to celebrate their nominee for president.

Here’s a look at the challenge facing the Chicago Police Department during the Democratic National Convention and the rules officers will have to follow during the protests that the gathering is sure to trigger.

The Democratic National Convention will close off wide swaths of the Near West Side around the United Center and downtown around McCormick Place, under a security plan law enforcement authorities released Thursday. “Chicago is ready,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “We were born ready.”

The privately funded plan would redevelop more than 55 acres of land surrounding the United Center. If approved by the city, the first phase of construction could begin as soon as spring 2025.

United Center concession workers are in the middle of contract negotiations with the hospitality company that operates the service. On Sunday, dozens of workers walked out on a one-day strike during the Chicago Bulls game. 

The United Center will be allowed to operate at 25% of its normal capacity, allowing fans of the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls to cheer on the teams in person.

Eight weeks after federal and state officials opened a COVID-19 mass vaccination site at the United Center, it will close to first-dose walk-in appointments on May 11, Chicago’s top doctor announced Tuesday.

Starting Friday, Chicago residents older than 16 can simply show up at one of the city’s mass vaccination sites for a shot — no appointment necessary, Chicago’s top doctor announced Thursday. “If you want a vaccine in Chicago, you can absolutely get one,” she said. “You can get one today. No excuses.” 

In an effort to boost the vaccination rate in Chicago communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, city officials announced Saturday that residents of four additional zip codes would be eligible to make appointments at the United Center mass vaccination site.

Even as the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered Tuesday morning at the United Center, confusion swirled over how many appointments remained available, who was eligible for those slots and when they would open for thousands desperate for the life-saving shot.

With the mass vaccination site at the United Center set to open Tuesday morning, Chicago’s top doctor acknowledged that getting an appointment has been “tricky” because of changing rules and a website that crashed under high demand.