As the theater reached near capacity, a spin on Jodi Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” written and performed by i.O. alum Matt Besser was played on a projector screen. Besser, best known for his work with the Upright Citizens Brigade and his sketches on Comedy Central, used sharp lyrics in the song titled “Big Corporate Mess” or “Ann Sather’s Food Tastes like Rat Poop”:

“Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know whatcha got till it’s gone,” he sang. “They paved the i.O and built a big corporate mess. Chicago’s known for improv, not for Dominick’s, but now the neighborhood is run by a bunch of dicks. Tunney, don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know whatcha you got till it’s gone. Come on, Tunney, it ain’t all about the money.”

Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) at last Thursday’s final community meeting endorsed a controversial, $100-million mixed-use development project planned for across the street from Wrigley Field. The alderman, owner of Ann Sather’s Restaurant, said that developer Anthony Rossi’s project was “a good development for the neighborhood.”

If passed, the development, “Addison Park on Clark,” would level roughly eight neighborhood businesses to make way for a 137-room Hyatt Hotel, 135 residential units, 145,000 square feet of retail space and 399 underground parking spaces.

The displaced include Red Ivy, 3519 N. Clark St.; Goose Island Beer Co., 3535 N. Clark St.; Salt & Pepper Diner, 3537 N. Clark St.; Bar Louie, 3545 N. Clark St.;  and i.O., 3541 N. Clark St., once home to comedy legend Del Close and stars Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers.

After Tunney voiced his support last week, Tara DeFrancisco, a member of i.O., created a Facebook group to mobilize a movement in an attempt to halt the project. The group, People Against the “Malling of Wrigleyville,” in just under a week has garnered support from over 7,100 members.

“We want people to be aware of an eclectic neighborhood facing what we feel is a detrimental change,” DeFrancisco said. “This development would take some of the spark and liveliness out of a great neighborhood, and we are here to get the word out, and there has been a bigger outpouring of support that we could have ever imagined.”

Tunney said he wasn’t aware of the growing Facebook movement against the project, but was aware of the 20 community meetings in the Lakeview neighborhood over the past three years. Tunney said he had representatives at Sunday night’s meeting, but said this is not a new issue for the community.

“I am sure that they are concerned, as am I, about making sure these businesses have a way to stay in the community. But this isn’t a new issue and we have had three years worth of meetings to address concerns,” he said.

But when plans were announced in 2008 for the 3500 block of North Clark Street, Charna Halpern, owner and director of i.O., said she was told that i.O. would get a temporary location just behind its current spot, and after completion of the project they would have a new theater in the new development. After all, the developer, who also owns several of the buildings on the block, Steven Schultz, is her cousin.

Schultz couldn’t be reached for comment.

Halpern said that through the two-plus-year process, Schultz assured and reassured her that she had nothing to worry about. That ended last week.

“He told me last week, ‘Sorry you’re out, don’t take it personally, it’s just business,’” she said. “Now I am fighting for my life. I am fighting for my theater family, and the neighborhood I have worked in for 35 years and love.”

The meeting Sunday, more of an open forum, drew dozens of suggestions from an active audience who wanted answers and results, and were willing to try anything to save what they called their “livelihood, in a neighborhood they love and don’t want to leave.”

Paul Meyd, 24, who moved to Chicago seven months ago from Maryland, said he made the 700-mile trek to be a part of Chicago’s improv scene and be a part of what he called an historic and beautiful neighborhood.

“There is so much character in this community,” Meyd said. “On a day that the Cubs win or lose, I can’t imagine leaving the stadium and seeing a mall and a hotel. That’s not conducive to this neighborhood, we don’t need it. It doesn’t lend anything to this atmosphere or to the people that live here.”

Lyndsay Hailey, 29, a resident of Lincoln Park, agreed with Meyd, and said it is “silly to think anyone wants to leave a Cubs game and go buy a book.”

“It doesn’t make any sense for an actual mall to be right here in Wrigleyville, across from Wrigley Field,” she said. “People like to come to Wrigley to enjoy the theater, the neighborhood, the Cubs and the nightlife, and there is no reason to change that or take it away.”

Last week, M&R Development revealed that prospective tenants include Best Buy, Dominick’s, an Apple Store and a CVS Pharmacy.

No date is set yet, but Tunney said the next step will be to present the proposal to the Chicago Plan Commission in June.

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Just three years ago, the names Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were unrecognizable to most Chicagoans. The Madhouse on Madison always had extra tickets to home hockey games; and when Chelsea Dagger was played, it was on the radio, and not associated with the Blackhawks scoring a goal.

Now, the Chicago Blackhawks have garnered support from the entire city – they are Chicago’s team. Kane and Toews are household names printed on the backs of thousands of jerseys. Chelsea Dagger’s song indicates a goal, or a even better – a win – and causes mass hysteria and dancing throughout the United Center, in the local tavern and in living rooms across Chicago, and the state.

The United Center has sold out over 100 consecutive Blackhawks games, causing tickets to become pricey and almost impossible to come by. Hawks fans are coming out of the woodwork, and with two straight trips to the playoffs, the bandwagon is overflowing. Restaurants and bars proudly fly the Blackhawks flag, and are drawing hundreds of fans for each game, and sports stores struggle to keep Hawks apparel on the shelves.

Jeff Dano, a bartender and server for the Buffalo Wild Wings in Woodridge, Ill., said the increase of Blackhawks fans is incredible, and with each game and each win, there are more fans.

“Two-and-a-half years ago hardly anyone would come in for Hawks games,  it was all Cubs and Sox,” Dano said. “Now, you just see every TV on the Blackhawks.”

The demand caused Buffalo Wild Wings to create food and drink specials during the games, bringing in more fans and creating an atmosphere for Blackhawk hockey.

“We try to do food specials, and a lot of Buffalo Wild Wings have giveaways with the Hawks organization,” Dano said.

Giveaways include jerseys and t-shirts, and oftentimes a representative from the Blackhawks organization will be in attendance to greet fans, and hand out prizes.

While Buffalo Wild Wings gives credit to the Blackhawks for filling their seats, Toby McCaw, manager and bartender at Curly’s Grill in Glen Ellyn, attributes the rise in attendance to the Blackhawks fan base he has built over the years.

A self-proclaimed diehard fan, McCaw said he understands that the victories are not the only part in bring in more fans.

“They’re making such great runs in the playoffs, and have world-class players such as Toews, Kane and (Marian) Hossa,” he said.

Brett Gorski, manager at Sports Fan in Wheaton, said the biggest beneficiaries to the Blackhawks success is the retail industry. He said Hawks merchandise is outselling all other Chicago team apparel in his store, and is “flying off the shelves.”

“Three years ago, we had not even a quarter of the (Blackhawks) stuff we have now. It didn’t sell,” Gorski said. “Now it’s unbelievable. They’re the hottest selling items that we have.”

The increased fan base comes with winning, Chis Olds, 24, from Woodridge said. It’s about winning games, and making playoff runs.

He said when the organization went and picked up Toews and Kane, and in the off-season signed Marian Hossa, fans realized they were serious about winning.

“They’re a young, energetic and fun team to watch,” Olds said.

McCaw agreed. But said the real change didn’t come with new players, it came with new ownership.

“The new aggressive marketing scheme they have adopted and the death of Bill Wirtz have helped gain fans,” he said, adding that the Blackhawks made big strides after Wirtz death.

Wirtz, the previous Hawks owner for over 40 years, died in September 2007. Ownership then moved to his son Rocky Wirtz. Bill Wirtz, nicknamed “Dollar Bill” for his frugality, was opposed to television broadcast, thinking it would prevent fans from attending games in person.

After Rocky Wirtz took over, he brought in John McDonough, formerly with the Chicago Cubs, as president. A move Matthew Byrne, sports videographer  for NBC 5, said was a “game changer” for the Hawks organization.

Byrne said McDonough’s marketing strategies are responsible for the Chicago hockey craze.

“All of these (strategies) attracted those who used to be fans 15, 20 and 30 years ago as well as a new generation of young fans,” Byrne said. “They have hired old Chicago Blackhawks players as ‘ambassadors’ to the team. (It) helps the older fans connect to their old favorite team.”

The Stanley Cup drought, which dates back to 1961, is closer to Chicago than ever before, and Byrne said fans throughout the city can thank Rocky Wirtz for that.

The Blackhawks, just two wins away from bringing Lord Stanley back to Chicago, have the support of Chicagoans; and win or lose, it has been an exciting season, and Hawks fans aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Also check out Crain’s Chicago Business’ story: WMAQ shut out if Hawks win next two.

NOTE: This story has been corrected. Matthew Byrne is the videographer, not Bryne.

Over 12,000 people this winter visited the ice rink, which was located for the first time this winter on the northwest parking lot of Wrigley Field, according to Chicago Park District spokeswoman Monique Lehman.

“Compared to last winter’s 10,623 patrons (who visited) Midway Plaisance Ice Rink on 59th Street and Woodlawn Avenue, the Wrigley ice rink was competitive,” Lehman said.

But, Lehman said, the Wrigley rink did not produce as much money as hoped for the park district, returning only about $72,000 of a $300,000 investment by funders. This leaves organizers unsure whether the rink will return next winter.

If the rink had generated excess revenue , it would be used to fund its reopening. But the rink did not meet that mark, said Max Bever, community outreach director for Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), who is also a funder for the rink.

“The rink was an experiment,” said Bever. “It’s possible that it may open up next year, but its depends on funds.”

Using outside funders is not unusual for the park district; most district projects rely on state funds, aldermen’s menu money and/or private sponsors, Lehman said.

Other rink sponsors included the Ricketts family, the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago, Westrec Marinas, the Blackhawks, McDonald’s, Harey Carey’s and the Central Lakeview Merchants Association.

Sponsors and organizers met on Nov. 9 to lay out plans for the rink. Their money, along with funds from the park district, covered the expenses. Westrec Marinas built the rink, which opened Dec. 19.

Kevin Jericho’s family of three visited the rink around five times this winter, but he thought it was pricey.

“I thought it was expensive.” said the Lakeview resident. “So we brought our own skates and season passes.”

Admission to the rink was $10 for adults and $6 for children, plus an additional fee for skate rentals. All proceeds helped offset the city’s costs — about $100,000, said Lehman.

Whether the rink will reopen next winter depends largely on the community’s response and support. To voice your opinion, contact Ald. Tunney’s office at 773-525-6034 or via email at [email protected], Bever said.

“The park (district’s) efforts alone wouldn’t make it happen again, ” said Lehman. “It would require community effort.”