Labor deal paves way for stalled Chatham Wal-Mart

Far South Side Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) was the man of the hour this week when the City Council approved Chicago's second Wal-Mart -- in Pullman Park.

But his long-ignored colleague Howard Brookins (21st) could have the last laugh.

Now that Wal-Mart and organized labor have ended their six-year-long stalemate, paving the way for a $1 billion Chicago expansion, Mayor Daley plans to do what he could have done long ago: grant administrative approval to build a Chatham Wal-Mart in Brookins' ward.

"Why not? Why wouldn't he?" said a top mayoral aide, who asked to remain anonymous.

"There needed to be some sense that this was not the desire of a handful of people, but that the citizens wanted it. That has been demonstrated."

Brookins said one way or the other, his Wal-Mart Supercenter at 83rd and Stewart is a "done deal."

Either Daley will sign the agreement, or Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) will lift the brick in time for approval at the July 28 City Council meeting -- after the developer files a new economic disclosure statement.