Lawsuit Over Stadium Concerts At Ryan Field Considered By Wilmette Village Board

WILMETTE, IL — The Wilmette Village Board met behind closed doors last week to discuss a potential lawsuit over Northwestern University's plan to commercialize its football stadium.

Following a presentation from a coordinated group of residents, mostly from the southeast Wilmette neighborhood surrounding Ryan Field, village trustees moved to executive session at the end of last week's board meeting to discuss "pending, possible or imminent litigation" in the matter.

Wilmette Village President Senta Plunkett thanked residents for all their efforts and advocacy over the 18 months leading up to the Evanston City Council's approval of Northwestern's plan.

"The village shares your concerns related to the impacts of concerts of Ryan Field on your neighborhoods," Plunkett said. "And we agree that Northwestern has not satisfactorily addressed many of the concerns that you raised this evening."

Plunkett and Wilmette village trustees have for months attempted to dissuade municipal officials in their neighbor to the south from giving a green light to the university's ambition to transition into concert promotion.

Northwestern is set to host six full-capacity public-facing concerts at the stadium to generate revenue to help pay back the money it plans to borrow to pay for a new, $800 million structure, instead of renovating the existing one for a fraction of the cost.

It will be funded in part by a record-breaking gift from the field's billionaire namesake, Pat Ryan, which university officials have said is conditional on building a new stadium.

Evanston councilmembers approved the plan to permanently rezone the stadium in exchange for a 15-year community benefits agreement with upwards of $100 million of new local government funding. The Evanston City Council, which has increased its spending by 40 percent since 2019, already used some of that money to plug its budget deficit this year.

Wilmette trustees already adopted a resolution expressing concerns about the stadium commercialization plan. And its village president previously addressed the Evanston Land Use Commission, which voted 7-2 to recommend that councilmembers reject the plan, and the Evanston City Council ahead of Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss's tiebreaking votes in favor of the stadium concert plan.

One group of residents, which has been advocating since last year against what it characterizes as Northwestern's plan to turn the field into a "tax-exempt booze and entertainment center," filed suit against the city of Evanston last month. Five of its plaintiffs are Wilmette residents.

Steve Harper said village trustees are on the clock if they want to stop Northwestern's plan.

"We have a window of opportunity, but it's rapidly closing. The 90-day period for challenging Evanston's ordinance expires on Feb. 16, 2024," Harper said.

"For those who say litigation is expensive, the constituents say that Wilmette cannot afford any other course," he said. "Protection of our families and our homes is the most important reason that we pay taxes. Whether it's protection from fire, crime, or a mortal attack by a neighboring city that no longer cares what it does to us for a billionaire's buck.

It is not clear whether Wilmette village officials would name their neighboring municipality as a defendant or target the university in any potential lawsuit.

"I hope you can appreciate that it would be imprudent for the village to discuss litigation strategy in a public meeting," Plunkett said, reading a prepared statement at the Dec. 12 board meeting.

Plunkett said the village board would "consider all of our options and the timelines associated with those options."

With a capacity of 28,000, the rebuilt Ryan Field is set to be the third-largest concert venue in the Chicago area, following Soldier Field, new Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field. It is slated to be completed by 2026.

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During the public comment portion of last week's meeting, residents presented evidence of inevitable traffic and parking snafus, threats to public safety and noise pollution.

"We're a very measured, articulate community. What we will see, these concerts, is the opposite of that," said resident Richard Levy.

"We're going to have what we've all experienced in our youth as drunken misbehavior that's going to impact our lives on a fairly routine basis," he said. "And while we may be the more measured and articulate and acceptable communicators, they will not be."

Residents presented maps showing projections about noise levels in the village as a result of concerts and played video showing already snarled traffic and cars cutting through alleys around the stadium after sporting events.

Commenters at the meeting also warned of a threat to the village's overall property tax base should property values decline around Ryan Field.

"Please know that we empathize with you and the impacts the prospective concerts will have on you," Plunkett told attendees.

"Your communication and your advocacy throughout this process has been helpful and informative to the village board."

Read more:

• 'Backroom Deal' Led To Illegal Vote To Rezone Ryan Field, Suit Alleges
• Ryan Field Concert Plan Gets Final Evanston City Council Approval
• Mayor Daniel Biss Casts Deciding Vote In Favor Of Ryan Field Concerts
• Deny Request For Ryan Field Concerts, Land Use Commission Recommends