• Obama is charging members of the media up to $1,815 to come to his Nov. 4 rally in Grant Park.
• McCain is charging members of the media $695 for access to his event in Arizona.
• Free, but limited, access is available for Obama's rally but no free access is available for McCain's."

Last week, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced plans to charge presidential hopeful and Illinois senator, Barack Obama, $2 million to host his election night extravaganza in Grant Park.

Crain's Chicago Business reported the $2 million-dollar price tag is budgeted to cover additional park maintenance, sanitation needs and extra security for the anticipated large crowd.

In turn, Obama is charging members of the media an unprecedented $715 to $1,815 for various tiers of access. The price for credentials depends on whether electrical and phone lines are needed and whether an indoor or outdoor seat is requested.

Reporters looking for access to top campaign officials will have to pay an additional $935 per-person for admission to a "press file" tent.

McGee Young, assistant professor of political science, said the cost of putting on an event like the one Obama has planned for Election Day would increase the cost for credentials.

"Space at events like these are limited and the campaign can't subsidize the media's operation budget," Young said.

He also said he did not expect there to be a shortage of media members willing to pay top price to be there, but said that Obama would be "hard pressed to justify the charges."

"There is no incentive to limiting access anymore," Young said. "Once the votes have been cast the media role changes from an ally to just another institution."

Typically, for large, media-heavy events like Election Day coverage or coverage of national conventions, members of the media can expect to incur several hundred dollars of charges for things like Internet access, said Carl Schwartz, senior editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"At the convention you're dealing with Internet providers that the political party grants a monopoly to," Schwartz said. "It can get expensive to staff these events."

Schwartz said the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will be sending a reporter and two photographers to Obama's event, but will not be paying for credentials.

"It didn't seem necessary (to pay)," Schwartz said. "We're a fiscally prudent bunch."

Greg Borowski, political reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, said if the cost is just for a credential to get in, it is very unusual.

For media members not willing to foot the bill, the Obama campaign is allowing "general media" free access to the event. Free access to the event is unassigned, outdoors and could include obstructed views.

The Election Day party for Republican nominee John McCain will be held in his represented state, Arizona, at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel ballroom. At his event, only a press pool will be allowed access.

The reported estimate for a reporter to cover McCain's event is $695 per person. There is no free access available at the Republican event and it is unknown how much McCain is being charged to host this event.

Obama's campaign was unable to comment on the Election Day charges.