BG club ends teen dance parties

The party — that is, as it applies to dance parties for teens — has come to an end for eSkape, the family entertainment center in Buffalo Grove.

This week, the Buffalo Grove village board eased up on security requirements for the facility, which includes bowling, video games, dining and party areas and is located at 350 McHenry Road, in the Town Center mall.

The reason is that eSkape no longer offers dance parties for the under-21 crowd.

In 2009, eSkape’s owner, Bill Feldgreber, approached the village with a request to change the planning agreement allowing eSkape so dance parties could be conducted in a new area called The Arena.

After extensive discussion, and even a veto from former Village President Elliott Hartstein, the village allowed the use, with several conditions attached to safeguard the building’s security. Those provisions included Feldgreber footing the bill for off-duty Buffalo Grove police officers.

When the cost of providing security proved prohibitive — $60 per hour per officer — Feldgreber discontinued the under-20 dance parties, although he still holds them for older guests. He then asked the village board to relax the requirements, and by extension the costs, for security.

Under the new agreement, Feldgreber will notify the village 15 days before holding overnight events, events with temporary stages, dance parties for those 20 and younger or events and activities involving live animals other than assist animals such as guide dogs.

The village would then determine if the events require police personnel.

Deputy Village Manager Ghida Neukirch told the village board this week that the changes meet the needs of village staff.

Neukirch said the new agreement will supersede the previous agreement regarding the Arena, but there would still be occasions for staff to review and impose requirements.

Even though the dance parties would be for customers 21 and over, Village President Jeffrey Braiman still questioned Feldgreber about security concerns he has.

“We always have security,” Feldgreber assured him, elaborating by saying he had two to three people in the building and all visitors to the Arena are carded.

Trustee Jeffrey Berman said a previous visit to the Arena proved reassuring. “I can tell you that security was conspicuous, obvious (and) large,” Berman said. “Bill’s laughing, but the security people are very large individuals. No one is going to mess with (them).”

He added, “I was carded at the door and was very flattered by it.”