New youth sports complex would work in Gurnee, consultant says
Building a new youth sports complex on land next to Six Flags Great America would be feasible, according to a consultant paid by the village of Gurnee, but the challenge of attracting an outside developer remains.
In August, the village paid Florida-based Sports Facilities Advisory $48,000 to study whether a 35-acre parcel just south of the theme park would be feasible.
After meeting with local stakeholders and analyzing the regional youth sports market, consultants determined a Gurnee complex would make money, according to Daniel Morton of Sports Facilities Advisory at the village board meeting Monday night.
Morton said the sports complex should have a permanent basketball and volleyball court area, a permanent ice skating area and a flexible space for major tournaments. Based on the local market, Morton said the complex could handle about 47 major events and pull in about $2.6 million in revenue its first year, growing to about 53 events and $3.8 million in revenue its fifth year.
“This is a great market and there's a great opportunity here,” Morton said.
Morton said officials estimate the complex would generate about $335,984 in village sales taxes from additional tourism the first year and $426,277 the fifth year. Morton said surrounding the complex with new commercial and retail businesses would be another way to make Gurnee an even larger tourist destination.
Mayor Kristina Kovarik said the village needs to move forward carefully. Next steps would be determining the cost of the land and finding private developers and investors.
Kovarik said from the beginning that pursuing the complex was a gamble, but it is important for the village's financial health. If the village wants to continue on without a property tax, she said, Gurnee needs to attract new sources of tourism.
“We need to do something to make that happen,” Kovarik said.
Village trustees voted for the study to be reviewed further by the board's Economic Development Committee.