Prairie Creek won't open until 2009

The opening of the Prairie Creek Amphitheater will be delayed until the 2009 concert season, Hoffman Estates officials say.

Prairie Creek, which many village officials hope will replace the old Poplar Creek Music Theater that closed in 1995, was supposed to open this year around Memorial Day.

But Peter Gugliotta, village director of planning, said Jam Productions -- which would operate the 10,000-seat outdoor music venue -- didn't anticipate it would take this long to gain the required village approval.

The theater still needs approval at Wednesday's plan commission meeting and then the Planning, Building and Zoning Commission meeting Jan. 22 before going before the village board.

In the interim, Jam has fielded complaints from nearby residents concerned about loud music. Jam conducted a public meeting Thursday at the Sears Centre trying to address some of those concerns.

Trustee Gary Pilafas was at that meeting and said Jam has revised its plans: The theater now faces more northeast, opposed to northwest in hopes to reduce noise. In addition, Jam has increased the overhead enclosure, which now covers about two-thirds of the theater, Pilafas said.

Village Manager James Norris called the changes "costly," adding that Jam had taken residents' concerns to heart.

The village board also has struggled to approve a name for the Hoffman Estates entertainment district, which includes Prairie Creek, the Sears Centre and stores including Cabela's.

Board members, with the exception of Pilafas, scoffed at the suggestion made by marketing consultants Pressley Jacobs to call the district "59/90." The numbers refer to where the business park is located, at Route 59 and Interstate 90.

The firm originally presented the name to the board on Nov. 12, which generally received negative reaction from the board. Members from Pressley Jacobs hoped the time between then and Monday would allow board meetings to better absorb the proposal.

"I put it out on my Thanksgiving table," Trustee Anna Newell said. "… You don't want to know some of the [obscene] things that were said."

The board voted for the village staff to investigate a new name, with McLeod adding that he'd rather wait -- perhaps five months -- until the district further develops before spending more money and time with consultants. The village has spent most of the $23,000 the board allocated for the name search, Norris said.

"I don't have any problem with budgeting more for this process," Collins said.