Sluggish economy blamed for delay in Prairie Creek's opening

Rock 'n' Roll crooner Axl Rose once urged that "all we need is just a little patience."

Well, after another delay in the opening of the much-anticipated Prairie Creek Amphitheater in Hoffman Estates, it's time to listen to Axl.

Hoffman Estates officials say the downward spiraling economy has prevented construction crews from starting work on the 8,900-seat venue which was to be open next summer inside the village's Prairie Stone Business Park.

"There will be no Memorial Day opening," Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod said. "That's not possible."

Increased building costs are one of the culprits snarling the $34 million project indefinitely, McLeod said. The 10-acre, partially enclosed theater was to be another component of the village's entertainment district, complementing the nearby Sears Centre arena.

Prairie Creek developers sought to fill the void that came after the Poplar Creek Music Theater was demolished in 1995 after Sears Holdings LLC purchased the site. The new theater would be half Poplar Creek's capacity and lack lawn seats.

Plans for Prairie Creek first emerged in 2006, and officials planned on opening the amphitheater this year. But those plans were dashed, with developers blaming the time it took to secure village permits.

The delays are raising doubts about the viability of the project.

McLeod said he spoke with Prairie Creek developers on Thursday who have some ideas for the parcel. He said he couldn't divulge specifics of the conversations.

"But there is no question that the space will be filled," McLeod said.

Jam Productions President Jerry Michelson was out of town and could not be reached for comment Friday. Jam, the Chicago concert promoting firm, would run Prairie Creek and already owns the parcel.

The village's director of planning, Peter Gugliotta, said Jam will need to reapply for a special-use permit if construction doesn't start by the end of the year. However, the building permit will be valid for five years, as the village made a special provision for all projects within Prairie Stone, Gugliotta added.

Next door to the amphitheater, the 240-room SplasH20 water park still plans on opening in 2010, Gugliotta said. The water park's developers altered site plans, rotating the hotel away from the path of the amphitheater's sound to keep rooms quieter. The delay in Prairie Creek's plans won't affect pending development within the business park, Gugliotta added.

Jam officials sat through village meetings packed with residents who live near the amphitheater site who opposed the project, claiming the amphitheater sound would keep them up at night. The village board approved the site plan in February, but agreed to set up a noise-monitoring plan for the theater.