Schaumburg adopts $3.5 million upgrade plan for Boomers Stadium
Schaumburg officials have completed a busy offseason regarding the future of Schaumburg Boomers Stadium with the approval of 14 improvement projects there over the next four years, at a cost of approximately $3.5 million.
Since the independent league baseball team played its final game of the 2019 season, the Schaumburg Park District has paid $1 million to give up its half share of ownership of the stadium, while the village - now as sole landlord - reached a new lease agreement with the Boomers.
Though each of the 14 proposed capital projects will have to be approved individually at their design and construction stages, Mayor Tom Dailly said there is value to the village board seeing and approving the plan as a whole.
"The idea was to get a complete understanding and allow us to get the full view," he said. "I'm glad that we're moving forward. I think it will help with the full use of it."
Schaumburg Boomers General Manager Michael Larson said the team and village are on the same page with the improvements. When he arrived a couple of years ago, he stated his preference for a pragmatic approach to the upgrades being considered for the stadium that marked its 20th anniversary in 2019.
While Larson suggested there may be some flexibility in the timing of the later projects, especially to maximize their efficiency, those being pitched for the year ahead likely will appear in the village's new annual budget to be approved next month.
Those include a $40,000 replacement of the lobby flooring, as well as the design of some projects that wouldn't be constructed until the 2021-22 budget year.
Those later project include construction of a $75,000 dedicated sensory room for those with sensitivities to crowds, sounds and lights; a $360,000 electronic marquee sign on the north side of the stadium facing the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway; construction of outdoor suites by removing rows of seats at multiple locations, at a cost of $350,000; and the installation of an operable window wall system for the Schaumburg Club on the upper level.
The plan also envisions the possibility of video gambling stations in parts of the stadium, including the Jim Beam and Schaumburg clubs. Larson said the team doesn't consider that a top priority for now.
Schaumburg Village Manager Brian Townsend said the final decision on video gambling at the stadium will be a collaborative one between the team and village leaders.
Planned for the 2022-23 budget year are replacement of the left field party deck, improvements to the group picnic area, plaza security upgrades include construction of bollards at the front entrance, and winterization of the Schaumburg Club.
The latter project is one that's long been part of Dailly's vision.
"My feeling is that we should turn that into a full-blown restaurant and have it open year-round," he said.
The final year of the proposed projects would include replacement of the center field batter's eye, exchanging the lawn area on the first base line for tiered patio seating, relocation of the team store to the upper level, and turning the entrance level space left behind into an open atrium for events.