June 20th 2024.
A towering electronic billboard looms over the former grounds of the Arlington International Racecourse, now owned by the Chicago Bears. Despite one village trustee's objections and the town's ban on such advertising, the billboard will remain for another year. The reason? It's a gesture of good faith as Arlington Heights continues to court the NFL team for potential relocation.
During a Village Board meeting on Tuesday night, the decision to extend the billboard's stay until June 30, 2025, was voted on and passed with an 8-1 majority. The lone dissenting vote came from Trustee Wendy Dunnington. Initially, the vote was meant to be a quick and routine process, but Dunnington requested that it be taken off the consent agenda so she could voice her concerns about the billboard, which has been standing for seven years.
Dunnington expressed her support for the billboard's original purpose - to generate revenue for the racetrack and attract more visitors and events. However, with the racetrack now gone, she believes it's time for the billboard to be taken down. She also pointed out that the sign itself is in need of repair, with the "l" missing from the word "international."
"I personally don't see any benefit to Arlington Heights in keeping this billboard," Dunnington stated. "In my opinion, billboards are an eyesore and this one is in need of repair."
However, Mayor Tom Hayes and village staff argued that the billboard's location is appropriate and supported the extension. While the village has a policy against billboards, exceptions can be made, and in this case, they believe the billboard is a unique circumstance. The Bears acquired the billboard when they purchased the racecourse from Churchill Downs last year. Since then, the racetrack has been demolished and the team's proposed $5 billion redevelopment, which included an enclosed stadium, is now uncertain.
Despite recent discussions about potentially relocating to the city of Chicago, Mayor Hayes made it clear that Arlington Heights is still in the running and will continue to work towards having the Bears play in their town.
"I would have granted this extension regardless of the redevelopment discussions," Hayes stated. "But it also shows our good faith in working with the property owner."
The mayor also addressed the village's general aversion to billboards, citing aesthetics as the primary reason for their disapproval. However, in this case, the majority of the Village Board, including Hayes, believe the location and nature of this billboard warrant an exception.
During the board meeting, Village Manager Randy Recklaus explained that the electronic billboard was initially permitted on the condition that it would be removed once horse racing operations ended on the property. With the racetrack's closure in September, the Bears were granted an extension for the billboard, which was set to expire later this month.
Village staff also received a letter from the Bears requesting the extension, stating that the current owners of the property plan to continue using the billboard as they work towards long-term development. The village remains in communication with the ownership and other stakeholders to resolve any issues.
Charles Witherington-Perkins, the village's director of planning and community development, noted that a comprehensive sign code amendment was enacted in the 1980s to allow tasteful signage without creating sign blight. The purpose of this amendment is to establish standards for signage that preserve property values and enhance the village's appearance. He also stated that billboards were not allowed in the village even before the amendment.
Perkins explained that the billboard at the racetrack was only allowed because it was considered a tourist destination with direct frontage on Illinois Route 53 and was not near any residential areas. In 2017, the Village Board amended the sign code to permit electronic message signs on limited commercial corridors, subject to specific standards and a conditional review process.
During the board meeting, Trustee Nicolle Grasse expressed her agreement with the decision to extend the billboard's stay as a gesture of good faith towards the current property owners. However, she also stressed the importance of reevaluating the sign in a year and requesting repairs to be made.
Grasse is currently serving as both a village trustee and state representative after being appointed to the latter position earlier this month. A representative from the Bears reassured the board that any issues with the billboard could be addressed and repaired.
In the end, the Village Board decided to grant the extension, with the understanding that the billboard will be reevaluated in a year, and any necessary repairs will be made. Despite the ongoing discussions about potential redevelopment, Arlington Heights remains hopeful about the possibility of the Bears playing in their town.
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