Rosemont, Illinois
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Rosemont is a village located in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1956. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 4,224.
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Geography
Rosemont is located at 41°59'27" North, 87°52'26" West (41.990730, -87.873816)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.5 km² (1.7 mi²). 4.5 km² (1.7 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 4,224 people, 1,692 households, and 986 families residing in the village. The population density is 937.3/km² (2,423.6/mi²). There are 1,745 housing units at an average density of 387.2/km² (1,001.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the village is 79.24% White, 1.35% African American, 0.88% Native American, 4.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 11.55% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. 35.35% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,692 households out of which 29.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% are married couples living together, 8.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% are non-families. 35.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.50 and the average family size is 3.31.
In the village the population is spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 110.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 111.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village is $34,663, and the median income for a family is $44,939. Males have a median income of $30,066 versus $30,015 for females. The per capita income for the village is $19,781. 14.9% of the population and 10.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Economy
Rosemont is positioned directly between O'Hare International Airport and Chicago. Due to its location, the village is almost entirely occupied by large hotels. Practically every major U.S. hotel chain has a branch in Rosemont.
Additionally, Rosemont operates several visitor related-forums. Among these are the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, used for trade shows and gatherings; the Rosemont Theater, used for theatrical purposes; and the Allstate Arena, used for concerts. It should be noted that most people who live in and around Chicago still refer to the Allstate Arena by its original name, the 'Rosemont Horizon.'
It is estimated that about 1.9 million people visited the above three facilities in 2003, and that annual retail charges made by visitors in the same year totaled $204 million.
Reputation
Within the Chicagoland area, and despite its status as a popular destination, Rosemont is regarded as an enigma - a closely-knit, reclusive neighborhood that regards outsiders with suspicion. The main residential area is guarded by a police checkpoint. Its reputation for secrecy is so large that filmmaker Michael Moore, on his television series TV Nation, visited Rosemont to investigate, and to poke fun of village residents.
Attempts to describe Rosemont and its citizens have been largely unsuccessful. In an April 2004 issue of the Chicago Tribune, a reporter attempted to profile the village, but was rebuked due to the refusal of many citizens to answer questions or talk about their home. The reporter was forced to rely on official sources, and to talk with people who lived outside the residential neighborhood.
Because of the village's commercial developments, not to mention taxes collected from hotel rooms, its municipal government brings in a lot of money, much to the chagrin of neighboring communities. The village's mayor, Donald Stephens, is heavily involved in political fundraising throughout the state of Illinois, so the village is considered extremely powerful politically.
Recent Controversy
In recent years, Rosemont has been the center of a controversy involving the placement of a casino. In 1999, the village won support from the Illinois General Assembly to build a casino in the village. However, in 2001, the casino was blocked after the Illinois Gaming Board claimed that some investors in the Rosemont casino had connections to organized crime.
The issue became more convuluted after, in 2004, the Gaming Board seemingly reversed its earlier statements and awarded Rosemont the casino license, in competition with two other Illinois communities. Although the board claimed its decision was made by considering the public good, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan blocked the casino license, and the issue is currently in limbo.
Although the Chicago Crime Commission investigated Mayor Stephens himself for ties to organized crime, no evidence has been presented to back this up, and the village considers the investigation over. During the 1980s, Stephens was acquitted on charges of federal tax and fraud charges.
Rosemont is sometimes accused of having a "cult" to Stephens because of the large number of places in the village named after the mayor, including the Donald E. Stephens Ballroom, the Donald E. Stephens Park, and the Donald E. Stephens Museum of Hummels. Also, the Stephens family has been criticized for its power within the village - the police department is headed by Mayor Stephens' oldest son, another son serves on the Village Board of Trustees, while other relatives hold various municipal positions.
Quotes
"Everywhere you look in this town, it seems, there's a welcome sign, embellished with a big red rose. It's just lovely. Except for the curious fact that Rosemont is not exactly what you'd call a welcoming place. In spite of, or perhaps because, of all the unsavory news stories lately, Rosemont remains a mystery to most Chicagoans."
- Emily Nunn, "In Search of Rosemont," Chicago Tribune, April 16, 2004
"I gave birth to this village."
- Rosemont Mayor Donald E. Stephens, quoted in the Chicago Tribune, July 25, 1999
External links
Official Rosemont Website (http://www.rosemont.com) Template:Mapit-US-cityscale