Mundelein High board members question potential land sale
Some Mundelein High School board members on Tuesday expressed concerns about the planned sale of a district-owned golf course because they'll probably lose money on the deal.
The district bought the 94-acre Village Green Country Club for $8.4 million in 2004. Officials expect to sell about 50 acres of the property, which is on the southeast corner of Midlothian and Winchester roads, for roughly $2.3 million.
That would create an estimated $2 million loss on those 50 acres, officials said Tuesday.
With that potential loss in mind, board member Thomas Ouimet questioned whether the district should sell the land now or wait for the property to increase in value.
"This land is a community asset," Ouimet said. "Values are going up and up and up."
Other board members shared Ouimet's concern.
The school board sought offers for Village Green this summer but rejected the bids earlier this month. Superintendent Kevin Myers said the potential buyers - all residential real estate developers - complained they didn't have enough time to properly examine the site, investigate potential building permits and prepare offers.
With those complaints and Ouimet's concern in mind, Myers asked all the board members on Tuesday if they want to continue pursuing a sale. They said they did, but they also said they want to investigate their options for the land.
Officials have said they want to keep about 40 acres at Village Green and build athletic fields there. Board members repeated that desire during Tuesday's discussion.
More fields would allow teams to practice simultaneously, eliminating the need for teams to practice very early in the morning or at night, Myers said.
The goal, Myers said, should be to get all student athletes home by 6 p.m. and to let them "be teenagers."
A new athletic complex at Village Green could cost $12 million Myers said. The board likely would ask voters to approve a tax-rate increase to fund such a project, Myers said.