Hoffman Estates amphitheater plan put on backburner

It was a subtle move by the Hoffman Estates Village Board, but one that showed how confident the village is in the immediate future of the yet-to-be constructed Prairie Creek Amphitheater.

The board on Monday moved to take the 8,900-seat theater's noise-monitoring plan off the Planning, Building and Zoning Committee agenda. The item had been a fixture on the monthly agenda since last spring, placed there to show that noise concerns from people living near the venue would be addressed.

But given that the project has stalled, there was no need to review the plan, and trustees continued to postpone discussion of the noise report. The $34 million theater project has floundered with developers struggling to find funding.

Hoffman Estates trustees approved the final site plan almost a year ago, hoping to see the venue open by Memorial Day this year. Concert promoter Jam Productions would own and build the theater, and last year it appeared everything was in place to begin construction. But ground has yet to broken as the country suffers through the a credit crisis, and it's unclear when and if the project will resume.

Trustee Gary Pilafas said the board will wait for Jam to show progress in their plan before devoting further time during board meetings.

Village Manager James Norris said Jam's permit with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District has already expired. Jam will likely have to go through application processes with that board and other entities if and when construction moves forward. The village's building permit is good for five years.

While Jam sorts out its next move, Hoffman Estates remains without a successor to the Poplar Creek Music Theater, the outdoor venue that was demolished after Sears Holdings LLC bought the land in 1995, a few miles from the new Prairie Creek site and near the Sears headquarters off I-90.

Jam's Jerry Michelson couldn't be reached for comment.