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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEXECUTIVE SESSION - 06/09/1998 - LAND ACQUISITION/RELEASED RES NO 14-01 EXECUTIVE SESSION Date June 9. 1998 Time 6:35 p.m. Chernick Conference Room – TOPIC: LITIGATION_ PERSONNEL _ LAND ACQUISITION —Y VILLAGE BOARD VILLAGE BOARD MEMBERS P F.S NT MEMBERS ABSENT STAFF PRESENT C. JOHNSON P. FEICHTER G.PARRIN President Village Trustee Village Manager N. CZARNIK R. RUMMEL Village Trustee Asst. Village Manager B. Dill S.NIEHAUS Village Trustee Asst. to Vlg. Mgr. S. LISSNER G. KNICKERBOCKER Village Trustee Village Attorney J. PETRI Village Trustee C. PROCHNO Village Trustee _ _ Pursuant to a duly made and approved motion and a majority vote at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Village President and Board of Trustees on June 9. 1998 this Executive Session was called to consider a land acquisition matter. Number of pages attached: I Date(s)of review for release: Janua[y 1999 Date of approval for release: of 7- 61 6/9/98 6:35 p.m. Land Acquisition The Village President informed the Village Board that discussions with the Chicago Bears are on-going. The Village President prepared a public statement which defined the Village Board's position regarding the proposed Chicago Bears stadium development. The public statement specifically addresses the following issues: • no Elk Grove Village tax dollars are being spent to research the proposed stadium. The Chicago Bears are reimbursing the Village for all consulting and legal costs associated with their inquiry; • Elk Grove Village will have control over all stadium uses; • the proposed stadium must be financially viable without the addition of non-NFL game events; • any formal proposal submitted by the Chicago Bears must address Village concerns over parking, traffic, noise, light, employment opportunities, and the overall impact of the development on the surrounding area; and • that the proposal will follow the normal Plan Commission/ZBA public hearing process prior to any Village Board consideration. A copy of the full public statement is attached. The Village President also informed the Village Board of the following: • the Bears had agreed to reimburse the Village for the initial $100,000 of legal/consulting expenses; and • the estimated revenue to the Village during the stadium's first year could potentially amount to $10 million. Upon discussion, the consensus of the Village Board was as follows: • to have the Village President read the prepared public statement at the June 9, 1998 Village Board meeting; and • to have copies of the public statement issued to the press and anyone else requesting a copy; and • to request an invoice for Mary Riordan's legal work to date for reimbursement by the Chicago Bears. The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Ik .. z PUBLIC STATEMENT I would like to update the coin inunity .with respect to the status of the potential Bears development. The Village, in responding to interest expressed by the Bears, has formed a preliminary negotiating team consisting of the Village Attorney and consulting attorney Mary Riordan. They are engaged in on-going conversations and meetings with representatives of the Chicago Bears. The negotiating team is responsible for determining whether there is even a possibility that the Bears can develop a proposal which the Village would take up for consideration. The negotiating team can recommend the hiring of consultants to preliminarily examine what all of us recognize as sensitive issues, such as traffic control, the impact on real estate values as well as noise and lighting concerns. The negotiating team has required that the Chicago Bears pay all costs with respect to any such consultants - with the understanding that no Village dollars will be spent during these preliminary discussions, including the cost of special counsel Mary Riordan. Foremost in the direction given to the negotiating team, is the fact that the Village will not consider any proposed stadium unless the Village Board has the full control and final say over any additional uses other than the 10-12 football games played by the Chicago Bears. If a stadium/hotel conference center cannot financially survive with just the Chicago Bears games, discussions with the Chicago Bears will terminate. Additionally, the negotiating team will require that any Bears proposal made to the Village must demonstrate a substantial economic benefit to the Village without any economic risk to the taxpayers of Elk Grove Village. Subsequent to any initial outline proposal, the following concerns must likewise be considered and addressed: I. Impact on surrounding areas 2. Parking plans 3. Pedestrian control plans 4. Traffic management 5. No stadium use parking oniesidential streets between Higgins and Landmeier and Oakton Street shall be closed for stadium use between Shadywood and Arlington Heights Road. 6. Tailgating controls 7. Stadium built below ground as much as possible to limit height 8. Employment opportunities for Village residents 9. Purchase of goods and products from Elk Grove Village companies 10. Chicago Bear contributions to Village civic groups and Elk Grove Village schools And this list is certainly not all inclusive. If a satisfactory proposal cannot be reached under the guidelines established by the Board, the negotiating team has been instructed to abandon further proceedings. If a successful outline proposal can be developed, then and only then would the Board consider whether the proposal warrants public presentation and review- If so, the Village will conduct neighborhood meetings as well as public hearings. The public hearings would allow Village residents and Village Commissions to explore every facet of the proposed development including the concerns identified above. Significant input fi-0111 the Plan Commission and the community would be anticipated and invited in order that the merits of any such proposal as well as the detriments of any such proposal be fi l!y examined before any recommendation is provided to the Village Board for its final decision. Finally, I would like to state that during the last several months, including the last few Village Board meetings, this Board has heard the following concerns and comments-. I. The Village is spending taxpayer dollars to investigate and pursue a stadium/hotel conference center proposal with the Chicago Bears. This is not true as stated earlier. 2. That such stadium would require additional uses in order to finance the construction and operation of any proposed stadium. The Village will not allow this to occur. 3. Just say No to any proposed development project with the Chicago Bears. It would be politically expedient and self-serving to this Board to just say No and not explore potential benefits to the.Village. Residents who have not attended the last few Board Meetings or who have only heard bits and pieces of information would not likely even be aware of any lost opportunity. More adamant residents who have attended meetings would applaud the Board if they said No, even if it is subsequently learned that substantial benefits to all Of us could have been attained and that modern technology and planning would provide a minimizing of any negative impact to the surrounding community. Village residents today who are strongly urging this Board to abandon any proposals from the Chicago Bears, parallel those residents throughout the years who have vigorously argued the Village Board to just say No to Wahmart, Kmart, the Grove Mall re-development, the extension of Biesterfield Road in order to relieve traffic congestion and the construction of the I-290 interchange to again facilitate traffic movement and provide more timely access to Alexian Brothers Medical Center. Throughout the years people have been opposed to any and all multi-family developments in the Village as well as opposed to the development of Fox Run Golf Course and the sutTounding residential development. As Village President, I have frequently responded to Village residents that this Board is aware of the existing concerns. It is an insult to this Board to suggest that we would allow development to be built in the Village without carefully examining and reviewing every aspect - both negative and positive - of such development. I am confident that this Board, like the many Boards which have been in office before us, will, with an open mind, reach a conclusion and make an educated decision in the best interest of the entire Village. Thank vou.