'The Playboy Club': Life imitates art as club set to open in Chicago

We should have seen this coming.

With the cross-promotion machine in overdrive for the new NBC show "The Playboy Club," it was only a matter of time until The Bunny decided to open a Playboy Club in Chicago. And now Crain's Chicago Business is reporting there's a deal in place to do just that.

Playboy CEO Scott Flanders says the company is "in the final stages of selecting a site" for a Windy City-based club, while noting the location will open early in 2012.

The site they're looking at is just blocks from where the original Playboy Club was, on Chicago's Gold Coast. In a bit of pop culture convergence, the building they're eying served as the upscale restaurant Chez Quis in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," where Matthew Broderick passed himself off as Abe Froeman "Sausage King of Chicago."

Other cross-promotions from the NBC show which debuts on September 19 at 10 p.m. ET include Amber Heard's interview in the Sept. edition, Laura Benanti appearing on the cover of the Oct. edition and possible inclusion of former Playmate Claire Sinclair on the show.