Arlington Heights trustees laid one other piece of groundwork Moday that might enable the Chicago Bears to proceed with their plans for an enormous redevelopment of Arlington International Racecourse by approving a zoning change that might enable a sports activities betting facility within the space.
A sports activities betting facility is a part of the Bears’ $5 billion proposal to create a brand new NFL stadium and a mixed-use business and residential district on the 326-acre Arlington Park web site. Trustees additionally accepted a “road map” settlement supposed to information additional negotiations across the web site, for which the crew signed a $197.2 million buy settlement in 2021.
Much of the eye up to now has been centered on the mixed-used growth that might take up about two thirds of the positioning – to the chagrin of some members of the Village Board. But crew representatives instructed trustees Monday {that a} sportsbook could be a vital part of the NFL-centered portion of the proposed growth.
“We believe that a sports betting facility will be an integral part of the new stadium development corridor,” Bears General Counsel Cliff Stein mentioned.
In July 2021, the Village Board accepted an ordinance that established an overlay zoning district for the racecourse web site. While there was a requirement, with the zoning, that any growth of the positioning be a part of a broader “planned unit development,” sports activities betting was not among the many accepted makes use of for the positioning.
Monday’s determination adjustments that.
Illinois first legalized sports activities betting in 2019. In states that enable sports activities betting, Stein mentioned wagering amenities have gotten the business customary for brand new stadium tasks, with older stadiums additionally leaping on the development. The Chicago Cubs are working towards constructing a sportsbook at Wrigley Field and related plans are underway at United Center.
“This is really state of the art for new developments of professional sports stadiums across the country and it really would put you at a competitive disadvantage [to not have the facility alongside the stadium],” Stein mentioned.
Village leaders emphasised that the board was not contemplating a selected betting facility and that none had been proposed to the village.
“We’re not approving a sports wagering facility this evening,” Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes mentioned.
Instead, zoning guidelines had been amended so as to add a sports activities wagering facility to the record of allowed entities within the Arlington International Racecourse space.
A workers memo accompanying the ordinance explains that the change solely provides a sportsbook to the record of potential particular makes use of within the zone overlaying Arlington Park.
“At this time, the Village is proposing adding to the Overlay Zone as a Special Use a Sports Wagering Facility,” the memo states. “It is important to note that this Ordinance does not approve a Sports Wagering Facility.”
Additionally, the ordinance accepted Monday solely provides a sportsbook facility to the record of accepted makes use of if that facility is awarded a particular use allow and if the ability is connected to an expert sports activities stadium.
The village Plan Commission final month accepted recommending to the Village Board that the use change be made.
The change handed the Village Board regardless of some feedback from residents who mentioned they don’t wish to see sports activities betting come to Arlington Heights.
Chris Hiebert requested trustees in the course of the public remark portion of Monday’s board assembly to place the brakes on the entire mission, however significantly objected to the potential addition of a sportsbook facility on the positioning.
He mentioned lots of his issues must do with who the stadium and certain attendant sportsbook facility may appeal to to the village.
“I moved to Arlington Heights to avoid the city,” Hiebert mentioned. “I don’t see a pressing need to bring more of the city to Arlington Heights.”
Village management has emphasised that up to now there is no such thing as a settlement but with the Bears and that any plans are within the earliest and most tentative phases of growth.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com