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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, In recent fiscal years, grants to various entities | ||||||
| 3 | throughout the State have been closely
examined for their | ||||||
| 4 | efficiency and usage of State funding; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, On March 1, 2011, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios | ||||||
| 6 | received a grant of $5 million
for a portion of the overall | ||||||
| 7 | costs necessary to purchase both the Central Plant and the | ||||||
| 8 | North Plant
of the former Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, Inc. Steel | ||||||
| 9 | Plant for the creation of a film studio; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, On March l, 2012, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios | ||||||
| 11 | received a grant of $1.3 million
for the funding of energy | ||||||
| 12 | efficiency measures that include, but are not limited to, steam | ||||||
| 13 | boiler, pumps,
and lighting to be installed at its facility in | ||||||
| 14 | Chicago; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, On March 1, 2012, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios | ||||||
| 16 | received a grant of $1 million
for a portion of the overall | ||||||
| 17 | costs necessary to purchase the South Plant of the former | ||||||
| 18 | Joseph T.
Ryerson & Son, Inc. Steel Plant for the creation of a | ||||||
| 19 | film studio; and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, On August 1, 2013, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios | ||||||
| 21 | received a grant of $10 million
to go toward costs associated | ||||||
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| 1 | with the purchase of a commercial property located at 1420 | ||||||
| 2 | South
Rockwell Street in Chicago, which is adjacent to the | ||||||
| 3 | previously purchased properties, and
to reimburse the grantee | ||||||
| 4 | for prior incurred costs associated with construction and | ||||||
| 5 | renovation
activities conducted during 2012 and 2013 at the | ||||||
| 6 | previously purchased "Central Plant", "North
Plant", and | ||||||
| 7 | "South Plant"; and | ||||||
| 8 | WHEREAS, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios returned a $10 | ||||||
| 9 | million grant after significant
concerns were raised; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Many questions exist surrounding the timing and | ||||||
| 11 | utilization of the multiple State grants that Cinespace Chicago | ||||||
| 12 | Film Studios has accepted; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, It is the duty of the leaders of this State to | ||||||
| 14 | guarantee that State grants are being utilized
in a way that | ||||||
| 15 | benefits Illinois and that they are used for the purpose that | ||||||
| 16 | they were originally
granted; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, $17.3 million in grants have been given to | ||||||
| 18 | Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, and there have
been significant | ||||||
| 19 | concerns about large grants dispersed to the Studio; therefore, | ||||||
| 20 | be it
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| 21 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL | ||||||
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| 1 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Office of the | ||||||
| 2 | Auditor General is directed to conduct a performance audit of | ||||||
| 3 | all State grant funds appropriated to Cinespace Chicago Film | ||||||
| 4 | Studios from the State of Illinois; and be it further | ||||||
| 5 | RESOLVED, That we urge Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and | ||||||
| 6 | any other organization or agency relevant
to this audit to | ||||||
| 7 | provide the Office of the Auditor General with all information | ||||||
| 8 | that may be necessary
to the completion of this audit; and be | ||||||
| 9 | it further | ||||||
| 10 | RESOLVED, That the Office of the Auditor General commence | ||||||
| 11 | this audit as soon as practical and
report its findings and | ||||||
| 12 | recommendations upon completion, in accordance with the | ||||||
| 13 | provisions of
Section 3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act; | ||||||
| 14 | and be it further
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| 15 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 16 | delivered to the Office of the Auditor
General.
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