Bulls, Blackhawks owners get the OK from City Council to transform area around United Center

The owners of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and NHL’s Blackhawks got the go-ahead to transform the area surrounding the United Center on Wednesday when the Chicago City Council approved a $7 billion plan to replace the parking lots with green space, mixed-income housing, a music hall and more. The 1901 Project, touted as the largest private investment in Chicago’s West Side, is being spearheaded by the Reinsdorf and Wirtz families, who own the arena. “Today is a historic moment for the West Side,” Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement.