Latest news with #JimDodge
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Orland Park projects big deficit on some Centennial Park West concerts; moves Taste of Orland back to Village Green
Orland Park is projecting a loss of more than $500,000 for some upcoming summer concerts scheduled at its new Centennial Park West concert venue. The figure is based on estimated ticket sales for the events scheduled for July and August, and the village is already committed to paying the bands that are lined up, a bill of more than $500,000. New Mayor Jim Dodge, during his campaign in which he defeated two-term Mayor Keith Pekau, was critical of the village spending on the concert venue and said Orland Park was losing money on the events. Orland Park and other communities typically subsidize a good chunk of the cost for special events, such as concerts, hoping to make back some of the money through revenue from things such as ticket sales. Spending and revenue projections were discussed by the Village Board committee meeting Monday. The board narrowly voted to bring the annual Taste of Orland food and music fest back to the Village Green, adjacent to Village Hall and the Civic Center. That's where it has been held until last year, when it was moved to Centennial Park West. Adjacent to the larger Centennial Park, Centennial Park West, 15609 Park Station Blvd., is a 12-acre park and includes a 3,200-square-foot permanent performance stage. The park is also the site of Orland Park's Fourth of July fireworks. Last month, before Dodge and three trustees he ran with were sworn in, the former Village Board approved about $1 million for work at Centennial West, including installation of two large video screens. The screens could be used for showing up-close shots of performers on stage, but also to show movies, village officials said. Several concerts are scheduled for the Centennial Park West venue this summer, including Yacht Rock and Soft Rock Night on July 12, with Firefall and Ambrosia opening for headliner Pablo Cruise. Also on tap are Lynyrd Skynrd performing on Aug. 8 and Trace Adkins on Aug. 30. According to the village, projected revenue, including tickets sold so far, for all three events will be $468,600. Total expenses for the three events are expected to be a bit more than $1 million. The hiring of the headliners and opening acts for all three nights, budgeted at $500,000, will be $561,000, according to the village. The village expects that overall revenues, including beverage sales and future ticket purchases, for the three nights will fall short of expenses by $537,380. While the numbers were discussed by trustees, there was no action taken. All of the acts scheduled to perform are under contract, meaning they'll be paid if the village decided to cancel, said Ray Piattoni, the village's director of recreation and parks. Piattoni said 'special events are very difficult to break even' on, and said the annual Taste event typically costs about $100,000 more to host than is recouped in revenue. He said Orland Park subsidizes 52% of the cost for special events such as concerts and Taste. Piattoni said the Taste draws 20,000 to 30,000 people annually over the course of three days. Resident Joe Solek, before the Village Board voted 4-3 to bring Taste back to Village Green, urged against the move. He said at the Village Green site, the village has to rent a stage, lights and sound equipment, things already in place at the Centennial Park West venue. Solek said it would be 'a step backward in the evolution of the village' to relocate the event. Another resident said he favored bringing Taste back to its original site, calling it 'the heart of the village.' Trustee John Lawler said he spoke with many residents while campaigning and said most were not happy with Taste being moved to Centennial Park West. 'It's the center of Orland Park and appeals to more people there,' Lawler said. Trustee Cynthia Katsenes, who voted against the move, said she's heard just the opposite, with many 'folks saying how they liked it better' at the new site. Trustee Bill Healy, also voting against moving Taste, said he thought it went 'splendidly' at Centennial Park West. 'Long term, that's the future of it,' Healy said. Trustee Dina Lawrence, who supported bringing the event back to Village Green, said it had more of a 'neighborly' feel there. 'Maybe we won't do it forever (at Village Green), maybe we'll change our minds,' she said.
Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Orland Park projects big deficit on some Centennial Park West concerts; moves Taste of Orland back to Village Green
Orland Park is projecting a loss of more than $500,000 for some upcoming summer concerts scheduled at its new Centennial Park West concert venue. The figure is based on estimated ticket sales for the events scheduled for July and August, and the village is already committed to paying the bands that are lined up, a bill of more than $500,000. New Mayor Jim Dodge, during his campaign in which he defeated two-term Mayor Keith Pekau, was critical of the village spending on the concert venue and said Orland Park was losing money on the events. Orland Park and other communities typically subsidize a good chunk of the cost for special events, such as concerts, hoping to make back some of the money through revenue from things such as ticket sales. Spending and revenue projections were discussed by the Village Board committee meeting Monday. The board narrowly voted to bring the annual Taste of Orland food and music fest back to the Village Green, adjacent to Village Hall and the Civic Center. That's where it has been held until last year, when it was moved to Centennial Park West. Adjacent to the larger Centennial Park, Centennial Park West, 15609 Park Station Blvd., is a 12-acre park and includes a 3,200-square-foot permanent performance stage. The park is also the site of Orland Park's Fourth of July fireworks. Last month, before Dodge and three trustees he ran with were sworn in, the former Village Board approved about $1 million for work at Centennial West, including installation of two large video screens. The screens could be used for showing up-close shots of performers on stage, but also to show movies, village officials said. Several concerts are scheduled for the Centennial Park West venue this summer, including Yacht Rock and Soft Rock Night on July 12, with Firefall and Ambrosia opening for headliner Pablo Cruise. Also on tap are Lynyrd Skynrd performing on Aug. 8 and Trace Adkins on Aug. 30. According to the village, projected revenue, including tickets sold so far, for all three events will be $468,600. Total expenses for the three events are expected to be a bit more than $1 million. The hiring of the headliners and opening acts for all three nights, budgeted at $500,000, will be $561,000, according to the village. The village expects that overall revenues, including beverage sales and future ticket purchases, for the three nights will fall short of expenses by $537,380. While the numbers were discussed by trustees, there was no action taken. All of the acts scheduled to perform are under contract, meaning they'll be paid if the village decided to cancel, said Ray Piattoni, the village's director of recreation and parks. Piattoni said 'special events are very difficult to break even' on, and said the annual Taste event typically costs about $100,000 more to host than is recouped in revenue. He said Orland Park subsidizes 52% of the cost for special events such as concerts and Taste. Piattoni said the Taste draws 20,000 to 30,000 people annually over the course of three days. Resident Joe Solek, before the Village Board voted 4-3 to bring Taste back to Village Green, urged against the move. He said at the Village Green site, the village has to rent a stage, lights and sound equipment, things already in place at the Centennial Park West venue. Solek said it would be 'a step backward in the evolution of the village' to relocate the event. Another resident said he favored bringing Taste back to its original site, calling it 'the heart of the village.' Trustee John Lawler said he spoke with many residents while campaigning and said most were not happy with Taste being moved to Centennial Park West. 'It's the center of Orland Park and appeals to more people there,' Lawler said. Trustee Cynthia Katsenes, who voted against the move, said she's heard just the opposite, with many 'folks saying how they liked it better' at the new site. Trustee Bill Healy, also voting against moving Taste, said he thought it went 'splendidly' at Centennial Park West. 'Long term, that's the future of it,' Healy said. Trustee Dina Lawrence, who supported bringing the event back to Village Green, said it had more of a 'neighborly' feel there. 'Maybe we won't do it forever (at Village Green), maybe we'll change our minds,' she said.
Arab News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
New suburban Chicago mayor promises equal rights for Arabs ‘disrespected' by predecessor
ORLAND PARK, ILLINOIS: Jim Dodge, who on April 1 won the election to become mayor of Orland Park in suburban Chicago, unseating a predecessor accused of disrespecting and bullying local Arab Americans, vowed that those residents will now receive 'the respect they deserve as community residents, business owners, taxpayers and families.' In an interview with Arab News, he said that every resident deserves to receive the same level of respect 'regardless of their race, religion or national origin,' and irrespective of any particular issue they might want to raise. Dodge's comment related to a confrontation during a village board meeting on Feb. 5, 2024, between the former mayor, Keith Pekau, and 75 members of the Arab American community who asked him to support a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The board had passed a similar resolution on Ukraine a few months earlier but Pekau responded to the Gaza request by brushing it aside, criticizing the residents and telling them to 'go to another country' if they did not like living in America. When Arab Americans attending the meeting protested against his comments, Pekau ordered them out of the chamber, paused the meeting until they were gone, and then reconvened with no members of the public present and continued to berate the community over its request. Dodge described Pekau's response to the residents of the village as 'inappropriate' and 'disrespectful,' adding: 'We are all people who live in Orland Park and we want to see the best things for our community, for our families and for our children. It's about attitude. That's not what we saw at that meeting. 'Nobody should be prejudged because of their race, religion or ethnicity. Orland Park has a strong and vibrant, diverse community of residents and they all deserve respect, regardless of the issues. Arab Americans are no different than any other community we have in Orland Park; Irish, Polish, Hispanics, many others — everyone should be treated with respect and that is what I promise my administration will do.' Pekau's abusive response motivated Arab Americans in the area to make an effort to increase voter engagement in the run-up to the elections. More than 1,000 Arab Americans subsequently registered to vote, which played a part in removing Pekau from office. Dodge, who received 9,539 votes in the mayoral election to Pekau's 6,960, said what Arab Americans had experienced was similar to the experiences of other communities in the village under Pekau's brand of leadership. 'Together, they all brought this important change,' he added. Dodge, who held his first board meeting last week, said one of his first priorities will be to restore the village's committee system, which Pekau dismantled, that allows residents to participate in policy decisions and engage with officials directly on a variety of important issues. He added that he would meet with leaders from all communities to ensure they can engage in this way. Arab American community leaders welcomed Dodge's 'open-minded approach to government and inclusion.' Mohammed Jaber, who serves as a board trustee for High School District 230, which contains three high schools with a large proportion of Arab students, said the approach promised by the new mayor was exactly what Orland Park and its Arab American residents need. 'The most important thing is to be involved and work with one another for the betterment of Orland Park,' Jaber told Arab News. 'It doesn't mean that everyone agrees on an issue, it means that our officials listen and consider the positions and ideas we have as constituents, especially since we are 25 percent of the tax base. That in itself is a major change from the past administration.' Lena Matariyeh, who won a seat on the Orland Township Board of Trustees in another local election on April 1, said past experiences with Pekau and other nonresponsive local elected officials had shown Arab Americans the importance of being actively engaged with local elections and speaking out on community issues. 'What happens in our local communities, like Orland Park, truly matters,' she told Arab News. 'Change begins at the grassroots level and when we come together, regardless of background, we can help shape the future we want to see. 'The recent elections showed an inspiring level of engagement from the Arab American community, and many others who are stepping up, getting involved and making their voices heard. It's about ensuring that all communities feel represented, respected and included in the decisions that impact their daily lives.' Hassan Nijem, president of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, praised Dodge for his commitment to respecting all residents, including Arab Americans. 'This is significant that a mayor of a major suburban city has said that he rejects the disrespect the former mayor showed to our community,' Nijem told Arab News. 'Our community came together and we got involved to make change happen, and we did that. We are looking forward to being actively involved in local government issues, to being heard, and to participating in forging the future of Orland Park, which has a large Arab American community.' Arab Americans need to develop stronger voices in their communities, and the wider country, if they hope to increase their ability to help bring about peaceful, positive change in the Middle East, where their origins lie. Arab American candidates won 18 of 36 election contests in the Chicagoland suburbs last month, a feat that surpassed previous voting achievements. Orland Park has more than 58,000 residents and is the largest municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Incoming Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge says he, new trustees want closer look at concert venue
Orland Park's incoming mayor is questioning the timing of additional work being authorized at the village's Centennial Park West concert facility and promised he and incoming trustees will evaluate the venue's future use. Jim Dodge's comments, outlined in a news release, came before the Village Board voted Monday to approve about $1 million in work at the park, including installation of two large video screens. The screens could be used for showing up-close shots of performers on stage, but also to show movies, village officials said. Centennial Park West, 15609 Park Station Blvd., is a 12-acre park adjacent to the larger Centennial Park, and is the site of concerts and includes a 3,200-square-foot performance stage. The park is also the site of Orland Park's July Fourth fireworks and last year hosted the annual Taste of Orland, previously held adjacent to Village Hall and the Civic Center. 'This is wasteful, last-minute spending,' Dodge said in the news release. 'We need to evaluate options for the future of the venue prior to even considering any additional spending on an already superfluous project.' 'We are not going to spend more taxpayer dollars on this until we figure out its future,' Dodge said. He said an evaluation of uses would include input from residents. The work was discussed at a committee meeting prior to the board meeting, and will include screens 15 feet by 25 feet. Trustee Bill Healy voted against the project, which was done without seeking bids. Healy asked at the committee meeting whether the village had investigated renting screens when needed. He said it was a large outlay considering the limited number of times during the year the screens would be used. Mayor Keith Pekau said the suggestion was studied, and that it 'was much less expensive to own them than to rent them.' Resident Julie Donovan urged board members Tuesday to 'hit the pause button on this expenditure' until the three new board members are sworn in. She said the 'context and timing raise significant concerns' and questioned whether it was the right decision at this moment. During the mayoral campaign, Dodge was critical of village spending on the music venue, so far estimated to be about $13 million. He said Tuesday that after he and three new trustees are sworn in May 5, they will take a close look at how the venue is used. 'We are going to think long and hard about whether we want to use it for big commercial concerts,' he said. 'What we use it for going forward is the big question.' mnolan@
Chicago Tribune
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Incoming Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge says he, new trustees want closer look at concert venue
Orland Park's incoming mayor is questioning the timing of additional work being authorized at the village's Centennial Park West concert facility and promised he and incoming trustees will evaluate the venue's future use. Jim Dodge's comments, outlined in a news release, came before the Village Board voted Monday to approve about $1 million in work at the park, including installation of two large video screens. The screens could be used for showing up-close shots of performers on stage, but also to show movies, village officials said. Centennial Park West, 15609 Park Station Blvd., is a 12-acre park adjacent to the larger Centennial Park, and is the site of concerts and includes a 3,200-square-foot performance stage. The park is also the site of Orland Park's July Fourth fireworks and last year hosted the annual Taste of Orland, previously held adjacent to Village Hall and the Civic Center. 'This is wasteful, last-minute spending,' Dodge said in the news release. 'We need to evaluate options for the future of the venue prior to even considering any additional spending on an already superfluous project.' 'We are not going to spend more taxpayer dollars on this until we figure out its future,' Dodge said. He said an evaluation of uses would include input from residents. The work was discussed at a committee meeting prior to the board meeting, and will include screens 15 feet by 25 feet. Trustee Bill Healy voted against the project, which was done without seeking bids. Healy asked at the committee meeting whether the village had investigated renting screens when needed. He said it was a large outlay considering the limited number of times during the year the screens would be used. Mayor Keith Pekau said the suggestion was studied, and that it 'was much less expensive to own them than to rent them.' Resident Julie Donovan urged board members Tuesday to 'hit the pause button on this expenditure' until the three new board members are sworn in. She said the 'context and timing raise significant concerns' and questioned whether it was the right decision at this moment. During the mayoral campaign, Dodge was critical of village spending on the music venue, so far estimated to be about $13 million. He said Tuesday that after he and three new trustees are sworn in May 5, they will take a close look at how the venue is used. 'We are going to think long and hard about whether we want to use it for big commercial concerts,' he said. 'What we use it for going forward is the big question.'
