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Naperville to seek state money for CSO venue

Naperville officials will ask state lawmakers next year for $12 million to help the Chicago Symphony Orchestra build an outdoor concert venue in their city.

“It will be included within our legislative action plan as one of the capital projects we would like Springfield to consider for funding,” City Manager Doug Krieger said Tuesday.

Those who support the move say Naperville should do what it can to bring the symphony to the area, especially since its other most frequent performance locations — the Symphony Center at 220 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago and Ravinia Festival in Highland Park — are at least 30 miles from the Western suburbs.

“If we have a chance to help attract one of the world's premier cultural institutions, I think we ought to go for that,” council member Joseph McElroy said.

Symphony officials say they are considering a site owned by Alcatel-Lucent on the northeast side of town for a potential outdoor concert venue. The company confirmed Tuesday it has been approached by symphony officials, but spokesman Marco Malfavon said there is no deal at this point.

Bordered on three sides by forest preserve land, yet close to I-88 and major roads for easy access, the site is “appealing for such a project,” said Kevin Giglinto, vice president for strategy and special initiatives for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association.

Giglinto said it's too early to know the potential price of the land it could buy from the France-based Internet protocol and cloud networking company, which has a Naperville campus at 2000 Naperville/Wheaton Road. He said the symphony didn't ask Naperville officials to seek state money on its behalf.

But Krieger said the city is trying to do what it can to facilitate the orchestra establishing a presence in town.

“We are delighted with the level of enthusiasm and support we've received from city, county and state representatives so far in the process, and appreciate their efforts to assist us in this endeavor,” Giglinto said.

Krieger said the symphony and Alcatel-Lucent disagree about the price of the property.

7“The thought is that a grant from Springfield would help bridge that gap,” Krieger said.

Giglinto said it's early in the process of potentially establishing an outdoor concert venue in DuPage County, but the symphony will continue to gauge public interest to determine if the idea can be successful.

Earlier this year, the symphony was considering sites within the DuPage Forest Preserve District, but it was determined the district doesn't have the legal authority to lease its land to a private entity such as the symphony for a private purpose. The orchestra also has begun playing summer concerts at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

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