By: Barton Lorimor
The sale of the state-owned Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield has been delayed, but that is not because of the property’s connections to a recently indicted lobbyists, a spokeswoman for State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias said Tuesday.
William Cellini, Sr., 74, of Springfield, pleaded his innocence Friday to charges he conspired with Stuart Levine, a key-witness in the federal case against Antoin “Tony” Rezko. According to U.S. District Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald of Northern Illinois, Cellini used his position on the state’s Teachers’ Retirement System to obtain campaign contributions for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The governor is not charged with wrongdoings at this time.
Sara Wojcicki, the spokeswoman, told the State Journal-Register the sale of the downtown facility had been delayed because of an effort to gain millions of dollars from the bonds used to contruct the building in the 1980s. At that time, Cellini was the developer.
Wojcicki said Tuesday the sale’s delay was not motived by the case against Cellini.
“In fact, the federal indictments against Mr. Cellini do not include anything to do with the hotel,” she said in an email.
The state took over the hotel, commonly filled with legislators in town for session, in March.
