Questions about site visitors and public security had been raised in Naperville’s second dialog with the Chicago Bears about constructing an NFL stadium within the metropolis as an alternative of Arlington Heights, Naperville City Councilman Benny White stated.
White was a part of an internet assembly organized by Mayor Scott Wehrli with Bears representatives final week. He wouldn’t disclose who else was a part of the session, how issues had been left or if a 3rd assembly was deliberate.
The idea of Naperville as a attainable different stadium location was broached by Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli when he wrote a letter to the group after which held a June 2 in-person assembly with Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren. Wehrli has harassed that dialog was very preliminary.
White, a council liaison to the Naperville Development Partnership and senior council member, stated his aim within the second assembly was to ask the questions residents have raised after information of the primary assembly turned public.
“My main concern was the impact of bringing 70,000 people to Naperville on a weekend and that includes the occasional concert,” White stated.
The primary grievance of residents is site visitors, he stated, “and this is definitely going to affect that.”
With folks tailgating earlier than video games and the consumption of alcohol, public security can be a problem, he stated. “Will we need to hire more police?” was one of many questions White stated he requested.
The councilman didn’t get into particulars concerning the group officers’ responses aside from to say the Bears talked about that site visitors research could be carried out if a proposal was submitted.
“It’s important to keep residents in the loop,” White stated, however at this level there aren’t any plans to debate.
“This might die on the vine,” he stated. “But it’s always worth a listen.”
The group, which has a contract to make use of Chicago’s Soldier Field by means of 2033, bought the previous Arlington International Racecourse land in Arlington Heights for $197 million. They wish to construct their very own stadium and reap the income from seat licenses, luxurious suites, naming rights and different facilities, officers have stated.
Bears’ representatives have notified Arlington Heights that plans to construct a stadium within the village are “at risk,” partially due to the excessive property tax evaluation from Cook County, and they’re exploring different stadium location choices.
Although no particular location in Naperville has been publicly mentioned, Wehrli has stated he needs to seek out methods to place underutilized industrial properties to work, particularly these within the Interstate 88 Tollway hall, which was as soon as residence to the analysis and growth campuses of Bell Labs and Amoco.
The 178-acre former BP/Amoco campus property alongside Warrenville Road between Washington and Mill streets would simply be giant sufficient to accommodate a stadium and parking. Located on the north facet of the I-88 hall, it will be accessible from I-88 exits at Naperville and Winfield roads.
White stated if the Bears did submit idea plans, the town would totally vet the plan and acquire public suggestions earlier than any resolution was made. “This is an unprecedented potential decision,” he stated.
The councilman additionally acknowledged that conversations the Bears are having with communities like Naperville might be one thing the group is utilizing to leverage their negotiations with Arlington Heights.
“I get that they bought land in Arlington Heights. But I want to know, why are you looking elsewhere?” White stated.
Chances are, those self same points would come up if plans had been to modify to Naperville, he added.
White’s issues about site visitors and public security have been echoed by different councilmen.
“I can’t imagine a scenario where a 75,000-seat stadium doesn’t result in increased drunk driving fatalities, diversion of police resources and higher sales taxes,” Councilman Ian Holzhauer stated when questioned concerning the stadium thought final week.
Generations of Naperville leaders “sacrificed to build the ‘best city in America to raise a family,’ and I don’t plan to gamble that away,” he stated.
Echoing the mayor, Councilman John McBroom stated conversations with the Bears had been spurred by issues Naperville leaders have over the massive underdeveloped properties within the I-88 tech hall.
Developers have wished to fill the BP property with warehouse and distribution services, one thing to which metropolis officers and the Naperville Development Partnership are opposed.
McBroom stated he doesn’t wish to learn an excessive amount of into the town’s conferences with the Bears as a result of it’s possible the group is utilizing them as a method of pressuring Arlington Heights. But he additionally doesn’t wish to shut the door to “a real conversation with the Bears either,” he stated.
“At this point, nobody would even know what the economics behind it would be or if it’s even possible,” McBroom stated.
So many points must be addressed if a stadium plan was submitted, akin to the consequences on Naperville’s downtown, site visitors and crime, he stated.
“There’s a lot of people up in arms right now (but) it’s just a conversation,” McBroom stated.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com