Im 23 and I still call it PacBell.

I think these corporate whores just don't get it - Chicagoans consider the Sears tower to be "theirs." It doesn't matter who technically owns it - it belongs to the city. It will always belong to the city - and thus the people. Same thing goes for pro-team stadiums. The people of the city feel like the team is THEIRS. So when a corporation comes in a buys the team and splatters their name all over the place, it's incredibly off-putting.

So you're some of the 10 others at Wesley Willis shows. I remember seeing him before punk and ska shows all the time.

Hmmmm... name a giant skyscraper after the actor who appeared in a movie about terrorists attacking a giant skyscraper. Very clever.

I think the company that bought the tower from Sears in 1992 actually requested the rights to still call it the Sears Tower and of course Sears was cool with that since it was great PR.

Still though, I highly doubt the name change will stick since its such an iconic landmark. It'd be like calling the Empire State Building or Rockerfeller center by another name.

@Real Cheese Flavor: Diet Pepsi.. Uh Huh!

There is a Kmart building in our town that was abandoned before I was born (26 years ago at least) and we still call it "the old Kmart" even though it is now a school.

What I liked about the article is how pissy the Willis exec was. "Would people rather have an empty building or investment in the city?" Does anyone have a problem with the Willis group moving in? No. Most people don't even have an issue with the name change in principle. We'll just never call it that. Sorry.

@Eyebrows McGee (on Twitter: LPetelle): Hubris often causes corporations to eschew common sense.

@Tallanvor: Same here. As soon as I saw the news last night with a smarmy executive from Willis talking about renaming the building, I immediately thought that they've ruined any hope of good community relations in one fell swoop by sticking their name all over the Sears Tower. Willis Group: nobody here cares who you are, and nobody wants you renaming the building!

I would happily endorse your naming conventions to any who ask. I will also never visit this building now, as the thought of critters crawling in my ears seriously creeps me out.

I'd rather they leave it as is though. It's part of the skyline.

Wow, Sears moved out in '92? How time flies.

Ah, Chicago and their tendency to have major city institutions renamed for their corporate backers.....anyone remember the Bank One Bears?

ROCK N' ROLL MCDONALDS... ROCK N' ROLL MCDONALDS...

//suck a honey badgers ass ya'll

As N.RobertMoses mentioned, those of us here in NYC who are old enough to remember it, we still call it the Pan Am building (not MetLife).

As others have mentioned, we all still remember hospitals and ball fields by their original names, no matter what they might be called now. To me, they are Booth Memorial Hospital and Beekman Hospital. I don't even know what their new names are.

@Lotusmonger: +1 for your rule.

Why haven't they renamed the Empire State Building yet?
The Twin Towers, while they existed, were not going to be called anything but the Twin Towers. The Chysler Building will still be that even when some Chinese auto company absorbs Chrysler...

So why not keep Sears Tower and add "By Willis Insurance."

This song's about a man
He is like a genius
He can roar like a lion
He gets down like a Magikist
Wesley, people can be so cruel
Don't let them bring you down
Don't let them take advantage
You're in complete control
Wesley Willis
He's got style
He's got a special gift
He can see right though
All the musical bullshit.

I'm sure the Chrysler Building will still be called that long after the car company disappears.

I think they should call it the Blagojevich Tower.

@Adrienne Willis: When will the SLEZE Tower be recognized!?!?

Wesley Willis on MTV???

I wonder what Wesley Willis' song would sound like concerning the renaming...

for those who don't know who we are talking about:

[en.wikipedia.org]

It's the Blockbuster-Sony Music Entertainment Centre. No, it's the E-Centre. No, now it's the Tweeter Center. Wait, now it's the Susquehanna Bank Center.

Give it up. Nobody cares what YOU try to rename it.

So when is Wrigley being renamed? I can't wait for that day! Go Sox!

I mean, other cities have to go through it too, but we've been getting the worst of it the last few years.

I will now refer to the building as The Tower of Khan.

As a condition to the naming, when you walk past it, it is mandatory to look up to the top of the building and scream "Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

Problem solved.

Cheers, all.

This is a lot like when Mann bought Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Most everybody still called it Grauman's and it would cause confusion when others would refer to it as "Mann".

A few years ago Mann finally wised up, gave up, and officially changed the name back to Grauman's.

20 years later we're still calling it the Post Office Tower....

@MMD: Love it

I assume this will cause the same number of protests as the last time someone considered renaming the building...

I still call the amusement park in Denver Elitches (now six flags) and the stadium Mile High (now Invesco)Like most people I don't take kindly to my childhood institutions getting renamed

I'M LOOKING AT YOU MACY'S, who could have run "Marshall Field's by Macy's" instead of shooting themselves in the foot/head. Apparently the Willis Group doesn't learn from history. Even recent history.

It will take a couple generations for people to call it by the new name

Watchu talkin' bout?