Rezko Fallout: Venture defaults on tollway oases loan

Crain's Chicago Business reports:

A California venture has defaulted on a more than $87-million construction loan used to finance the redevelopment of the seven Illinois Tollway oases, a lender on the project disclosed last week.

The default is another black eye for Wilton Partners Tollway LLC, which has been plagued by controversy since its selection as rest-stop developer in 2002. Questions surfaced about contributions worth $85,000 to Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the firm's agreement to lease space in the oases to restaurants owned by associates of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a Blagojevich confidant convicted earlier this year of federal criminal charges.