Steve Cortes, founder and president, the League of American Workers, left, commented on the sudden closure of the Signature Room | Provided Photo / Facebook
Steve Cortes, founder and president, the League of American Workers, left, commented on the sudden closure of the Signature Room | Provided Photo / Facebook
The founder of the League of American Workers said the sudden closure of the “iconic” Signature Room in the John Hancock Building was a sign of the deterioration of America’s cities, including Chicago.
“America’s cities deteriorate,” Steve Cortes posted on X. “It's lights out for the iconic restaurant atop the Chicago Hancock Building.”
“The causes: Lockdowns + Crime,” posted Cortes.
Facebook post announcing the sudden closure of The Signature Room
| Facebook.com/SignatureRoom95
Cortes’ post cited a Facebook post from the Signature Room that said, “after the closure of our city and restaurant due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been faced with severe economic hardship and the challenges have been greater than we anticipated.”
Founded in 1993, The Signature Room was located on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center in Chicago. The restaurant offered panoramic views of the city's skyline. In addition to its main dining area, the venue features a lounge on the 96th floor, which closed in March 2023.
A Chicago native and graduate of Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Cortes is founder of the League of American Workers, an organization he says "promotes policies to protect the priorities of laborers."
In 2023, Cortes became a national spokesman for the Never Back Down PAC, a political committee supporting Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.). Previously, he served as senior spokesman and strategist for the Trump 2016 and 2020 campaigns.
Prior to entering politics, Cortes traded global currencies and interest rates for 25 years for large international hedge funds. He’s been an on-air broadcaster for CNBC, Fox News, and CNN.
Alerts Sign-up