CHANGE THEIR GENDER ON THEIR FIRST TO FORGET.

AN AIRPORT DESTROYED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY THE GOVERNMENT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PLOT OF A SPY FILM BUT MANY OF YOU REMEMBER IT HAPPENED IN CHICAGO 20 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK.

A MAN-MADE PENINSULA LOCATED BETWEEN McCORMICK PLACE AND SOLDIER FIELD BY THE LAKE HAS A LARGE CONSERVATION AREA.

IF YOU WERE IN CHICAGO PART OF 2003 YOU MAY REMEMBER WHEN THIS LIST SLICE OF THE OUTDOORS WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

BUILT IN 1925 IT HOSTED THE CENTURY PROGRESS WORLDS FAIR STARTING IN 1948 IT WAS THE SINGLE RUNWAY AIRPORT USED BY POLITICIANS AND THE ELITE JET IN AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN.

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO LOOK AT THE UNIQUELY CHICAGO DESTRUCTION OF -- FIELD, MARCH 20th, 2003 HERE'S RICH SAMUELS.

>> Reporter: AT 11:00 LAST NIGHT THE CONDYLE OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT MOVE DOWN ROOSEVELT ROAD TOWARD THE LAKE.

AT THE AIRPORT THE BACKHOES TOOK SUBSTANTIAL BITES OUT OF MAKES ONE RUN RIGHT.

WATCHING THIS WAS A HANDFUL OF ADVOCATES WHO FOR YEARS HAD FOUGHT THE CITY IN HOPE OF SAVING MEIGS FIELD.

>> WE ARE OUTRAGED.

THIS WOULD BE AWFUL.

A TERRIBLE TRAVESTY OF DEMOCRACY.

IT'S NOT THE WAY THINGS SHOULD WORK.

>> SECRECY SHOUTED THE CITY'S OPTIONS.

THEY WERE NOT NOTIFIED INTO THE RUNWAY DESTRUCTION WAS UNDERWAY.

THERE WAS NOT TIME TO NOTIFY OUR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS THAT THEY NEED NOT COME TO WORK THIS MORNING.

>> I FOUND OUT LIKE A PRO ATHLETE THAT I WAS TRADED BEFORE THE TEAM TOLD THEM HE WAS TRADED.

I FOUND OUT DRIVING INTO WORK THIS MORNING ON THE RADIO THAT IT WAS CLOSE.

I WAS RACING IN AND I GOT NERVOUS.

I THOUGHT IS THIS MY JOB.

THEY GAVE ME A HECKLE AT THE GATE AND I GOT IN AND IT WAS TORN UP.

CITY HALL TODAY WHERE PROTESTERS GATHERED IMMEDIATELY, THE MAYOR SAYS THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.

>> WE TOOK APPROPRIATE STEPS.

>> WHY DO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?

>> THEREUPON THE MAYOR BROUGHT FORWARD A CITY LAWYER WHO SAID NOT ONLY COULD THE CITY SHUT DOWN WHAT THEY HAD TO SHUT DOWN MEIGS FIELD.

>> OPERATES ON A LAND LEASE WITH THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT THAT IS A 30 DAY MONTH TO MONTH LEASE.

THE LEASE WAS TERMINATED AND WE ARE OBLIGATED TO CLOSE THIS.

>> YOU DIDN'T EVEN NOTIFY THE FAA BEFORE YOU BEGAN, DID YOU?

>> THE FAA AND HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT WERE BOTH NOTIFIED.

THEY HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.

IT WAS THEIR POSITION THAT IT WAS A LOCAL ISSUE.

THEY SAID ANYTHING WE DID TO ENHANCE SECURITY THEY WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH.

>> STILL CLEAR TO LAND.

>> THE BATTLE OF MEIGS FIELD GOES BACK SEVEN YEARS WITH THE CITY TRYING TO CLOSE IT AND BUILD A NEW PARK IN ITS SIDE, AND A GENERAL AVIATION INTEREST TRYING TO KEEP IT OPEN.

THEY HAD PLANNED TO CLOSE IT ONE YEAR AGO BUT THE MAYOR MADE A DEAL WITH FORMER GOVERNOR GEORGE RYAN TO KEEP IT OPEN IN EXCHANGE FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SUPPORT O'HARE EXPANSION.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT DEAL DIED WHEN A FUNDING BILL DIED IN CONGRESS.

>> THEY WENT TO WASHINGTON AND TOLD US THEY THREW IN THE TOWEL.

>> MEIGS FIELD FEELS DEAD AS WELL IN THE WAKE OF ALL OF THIS.

>> HE GOT IT WITH THE NO BIG CONTRACTS ON THOSE BENCH , YOU KNOW, PTA BENCHES AND NOW HE WILL TRY TO GET AWAY WITH THIS.

ENOUGH.

PUT A FORK IN ME.

I'M DONE.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

>> THIS WAS ONE OF THE BOLDEST STROKES OF THE MAYOR'S CAREER.