City Page

Update - February 11, 2010

Are We There Yet?

Spring is just around the corner and everyone is anxious to know the latest news on our very own Lake County Fielders project.  The team met a couple of weeks ago to shave as many days from the construction schedule as possible.  By reworking the layout we’ve managed to cut 35 days without sacrificing any of the pieces that have made the project work from the beginning.

Excited about this news, the owner issued a press release that he was on target in spite of the tight timeframe.  However, the media incorrectly reported, with the exception of the Zion-Benton News, that critical parts of the project had been cut instead of the schedule.  Suddenly fans were hearing there would be no concert stage, no suites, no restaurant, etc.    Nothing of the kind was ever said by any member of the design or ownership team and certainly not by the city since without those amenities it wouldn’t work financially.

We are providing an exclusive first look at the new layout and we believe fans will be quite pleased.  The suites have been relocated to the concourse level, not eliminated.  In fact, eighty-three percent have already leased.  The restaurant is also at concourse level to provide a direct entrance so it can be used year round without going through the stadium itself and two concerts have been negotiated so the stage is definitely included in the plan.  Party decks have been moved for greater visibility and room made for a national franchise concession area.

The IEPA has approved the stadium construction and granted a permit modification; only the parking lot is moving through standard review now since it’s not needed until June.  Finally, the city’s Planning and Zoning Board of Review has unanimously recommended approval of a Special Use Permit for the entertainment venue. 

Who’s paying for all of this?  To date, more than $800,000 of non-taxpayer dollars have been spent speculatively or in actual cash by private parties.  Nearly half has gone for site work to bring a mountain of clay and soil down to its current elevation.  What you see today at 9th and Greenbay is the actual field playing level.  This process took nearly six months last summer and went fairly unnoticed because the bulldozers were inside the bowl working their way out to the perimeter.  The other half of the money has provided for architectural and civil design, environmental testing, detention review and wetland delineation studies. 

Additionally, the owner of the team has invested over $500,000 in private money to fund a new franchise, payroll, legal, licensing, marketing, team products and a retail center at Gurnee Mills. 

This project is moving forward in an economy where nothing is a certainty.  Zion has a chance to make a dream that has eluded Lake County for nearly two decades become a reality.  There will be issues along the way, just as there are with any project, but everyone involved is rooting for our home team and that not so distant summer’s day when we hear, “Play Ball!”.

Click to Download Stadium Design Revision (.pdf)