Prospect Heights approves new sports bar on Rand Road

Owners hope to open a sports bar and restaurant this fall in the Prospect Crossing Shopping Center near Rand and Willow roads after receiving zoning approval and a liquor license Monday from the Prospect Heights City Council.

The bar and restaurant, which is not yet named, will have a room in the rear where entertainment and comedy events will be staged, said John Nazha, one of the owners.

The 25,000-square-foot space will hold 800 to 1,000 people, said Manny Rafidia, an owner of the plaza and a principal in the bar and restaurant. Rafidia also owns Pop's Pizza & Sports Bar in Roselle and Pyramid Club Restaurant & Sports Pub in Addison, which are both smaller venues, he said.

Prospect Crossing is home to an 87,000-square-foot space that once held a Dominick's. The store closed about a decade ago, but Dominick's held controlling the vacant space until the end of 2010, Mayor Nicholas “Nick” Helmer said Tuesday.

Rafidia said he now hopes to get another grocery store in the space.

Helmer said his administration is willing to negotiate with potential large tenants over sales tax rebates. There are currently leads but no specific negotiations, he said.

“It works both ways,” Helmer said. “The city has to be involved and should be involved in negotiations.”

Several grocery stores are in the Rand corridor near Arlington Heights Road, but Helmer believes the area's demographics will support different types of produce stores.

Ward 2 Alderman John Styler expressed concern that pizza might be sold in the bar, hurting the business of a pizza restaurant that opened recently in the center. But Rafidia said the pizza restaurant signed its lease aware that a sports bar that would serve pizza would be opening nearby.