'Idol' homecoming cost Wheeling taxpayers just $2,500

Because many police, fire and public works employees used comp time on Saturday, Haley Reinhart's daylong celebration cost Wheeling only about $2,500, Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said Monday.

“I want to thank our staff and Arlington Park,” Sfondilis said. “We were able to do this without really having to encumber the taxpayers.”

Sfondilis said another “American Idol” contestant's hometown spent about $61,000 on his parade and concert.

Haley Reinhart, a Wheeling native and “Idol” finalist, will sing Wednesday before the group is narrowed down to two singers Thursday. Should she make the cut Wheeling officials are ready to throw Reinhart a public viewing party next week, Sfondilis said.

Harry Reinhart and Patti Miller-Reinhart attended Monday's meeting to thank Wheeling officials on behalf of their daughter.

“It rained, and it didn't even matter,” Harry Reinhart said. “It was like a dream. Saturday was overwhelming. It's hard to put into words.”

“This village is the best,” Miller-Reinhart said.

Wheeling officials had two days to throw together Reinhart's hometown celebration, which officially started Saturday with a motorcade from Northgate Parkway to village hall where about 300 “Idol” fans were waiting and chanting Reinhart's name. There Wheeling Village President Judy Abruscato proclaimed May 14 “Haley Reinhart Day.”

Throughout the day, police officers from Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Des Plaines, Palatine, Prospect Heights and Rolling Meadows also pitched in, putting in a combined 195 hours, said Wheeling Deputy Chief John Teevans.

“It was an extraordinary event,” Teevans said. “We didn't know where Haley was going to be as much as we wanted to.”

That's because “Idol” producers ran the day. Stops along the way included Wheeling High School, Wheeling's Aquatic Center and Bob Chinn's Crabhouse.

The day wrapped up at Arlington Park where almost 30,000 people attended Reinhart's miniconcert. She opened with Elton John's “Bennie and the Jets,” then the family that gave Haley her musical roots joined her onstage. Harry played guitar, Patti kept the beat on tambourine and sang backup vocals, and sister Angie played bass guitar.

“It was the best gig of our lives,” Harry Reinhart said Monday. “I wish we could've done two or three more songs.”

“Everyone was such troopers,” Patti Miller-Reinhart said about the crowd.

“It was a terrible, cold, wet, rainy night and it was phenomenal,” Wheeling Trustee Dean Argiris said.