Residents fighting pair of Bensenville paintball facilities

With two paintball courses preparing to move into Bensenville, some residents already are putting on their battle gear to fight the new ventures.

Bensenville's community development commission voted 3-1 this month to recommend the village board approve both the indoor O'Hare Paintball and the outdoor Project Storm.

The village's community and economic development committee will discuss the issue at 6 p.m. Tuesday at village hall, 12 Center St.

Bensenville officials said both businesses will bring sales tax revenue during a recession and will fit in with existing village activities.

"We already have a strong recreation presence with our Redmond Complex and our skating facilities, so this sort of recreation use would make a lot of sense," Village Manager Michael Cassady said.

But at least a handful of residents are worried the paintball courses at 1071 Thorndale Ave. and 811 E. Grand Ave. - the latter at the old Legends golf course - will cause problems.

"I feel (Project Storm) will be an unsightly presence because they are talking about putting huge netting around the Legends site," Bensenville resident Joe Pisano said. "I'm concerned with paintball guns looking like real weapons and being brought in the neighborhood. And I think the money Bensenville generates will be more than offset by the need of police and public works services, since it will permit people to cause damage to residential areas or cars."

Pisano and several other residents also expressed concerns about potential traffic and noise that will result from the facilities, particularly the 52-acre Project Storm that will be on the old golf course. The facility can host 100 players per day, while the 71,000-square-foot O'Hare Paintball on Thorndale can hold 60.

As he goes door-to-door trying to gather petitions against the businesses, Pisano said he thinks many residents don't know about the plans and those who do agree with his concerns.

Cassady said Bensenville aims to preserve the village's ambience.

"We intend to place a conditional use ordinance that will protect the neighborhoods," he said. "We recognize paintball is an emerging X Games-style sport that's growing popular with a younger generation and we don't really want to shut that out just because of a perception concern."

He said the golf course is currently vacant and the village welcomes productive use of that property for family activities such as paintball.

Pisano said he plans to attend Tuesday's meeting and continue gathering signatures for his petition, which he will present to the village board during its meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 22 in village hall.