Toby Keith bar to open in Rosemont; opera house also a possibility
Despite the economy, development is not slowing in the Village of Rosemont.
At Wednesday's village board meeting, the trustees approved plans to build a Toby Keith "I love this bar & grill" outside of the Muvico theater along I-294.
In addition, Mayor Bradley Stephens said, the village has talked with concert promoter Live Nation about opening a 2,500 seat opera house to augment entertainment options currently available through the Allstate Arena, which holds 19,000 people, and the Rosemont Theatre, which seats 4,200 people.
In February, Mayor Bradley Stephens announced that the village was working with Keith to bring his signature establishment to town. Construction is expected to cost $6.5 million. CRGE Rosemont LLC will lease the property from the village to develop the facility.
The village will provide financial incentives for the project, but the exact amount hasn't been determined, said Don Calmeyn, Rosemont finance officer. The goal typically is to recover those funds over 10 years from increased tax revenues, he said.
The bar is expected to open next summer.
Stephens went to Mesa, Ariz., to meet with Keith when the country singer opened a location there.
"It's a modern day honky tonk," Stephens said.
The bar will have live music and the grill will serve southern staples like fried macaroni and cheese.
Keith is a fabulous entertainer, successfully brings people to his bars, and does great work for the U.S. Armed Forces, Stephens said.
"He's a fabulous American," the mayor said. "He likes to attract people to his restaurant."
In addition to Mesa, Keith has locations in Oklahoma City; Tulsa, Okla.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Las Vegas. Another location is being developed in Auburn Hills, Mich.
Regarding the opera house, the mayor said he spoke with representatives from Live Nation, a booking partner. A footprint of the building has been drawn and it would be located south of the entrance to the Muvico theaters. The village and Live Nation have not committed to anything.
"If it makes sense financially and Live Nation isn't interested, there's a good chance we're still going to build it," Stephens said.
The Allstate Arena ranked second in ticket sales among venues for 2009, according to Pollstar Magazine. The arena placed 12th on the list worldwide.
Rosemont has been able to continue developing despite the economy because of its location and the ease of building in the village, Stephens said. It usually takes 45 days for someone to receive a special use permit if the project makes sense for the builder and the village. Stephens said staff members work to solve problems, making building easier.
"We're very pro-development and our staff understands that," he said.