Hoffman Estates state of village highlights big year for Now Arena, economic growth
A record-breaking year for the Now Arena, great strides in economic development, and the addition of a therapy dog still in training were among the highlights of 2022 that Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod discussed Wednesday in his annual state of the village address.
The village-owned arena's management company merged in November 2021 with OVG 360, the largest developer of sports and entertainment facilities in the world, arena General Manager Ben Gibbs said.
With the help of its new partner, the arena met the post-pandemic demand for entertainment and set records in several categories for sales and revenue. That includes overall annual operating income, which exceeded 2019's record amount by $745,000.
"We have never hit these numbers before," Gibbs said. "2023 has already started off at a record pace."
That success extends to the Chicago Bulls affiliate Windy City Bulls, which are on track to beat their attendance record this season. The Hideaway Brew Garden next door, which the Now Arena also manages, hosted 70 live bands and 85,000 guests during its 2022 summertime season, Gibbs said.
As far as overall economic growth, 2022 was one of the busiest years in recent memory, McLeod said. In fact, his address came within 24 hours of the village confirming that Microsoft had bought 30 more acres next to the 53-acre site where it's developing a pair of 207,000-square-foot data centers.
The purchase ends decades of speculation over whether Meijer would build a store on the land, and erases last year's disappointment over Amazon canceling plans for distribution center there.
Bell Works Chicagoland continues its redevelopment of the former AT&T campus, as 164 townhouses have been approved on the east side of the property to complement the growing number of commercial tenants within the existing building.
Answering a related question about the status of the former Sears campus, McLeod said he doesn't envision enough interest in that amount of office space to bring a project similar to Bell Works. But he said there had been a very interested party inquiring about the site and that its owner, Transformco, continues to receive inquiries.
"For every difficulty that comes up, there's also an opportunity," McLeod said of the village's evolving business landscape.
Since his last address, the village created an ambitious five-year strategic plan for economic growth that also envisions a diversity of housing. The village is anticipating several proposals for upscale apartments to bring more residents who prefer not to live in single-family homes, despite likely being able to afford them, McLeod said.
A tax-increment financing district was created southeast of the Pace bus terminal at I-90 and Barrington Road to encourage transit-oriented development there.
Among the most recent additions to village staff is therapy dog Charlie. Intended to provide emotional support in a variety of situations once certified, the growing pup already is generating smiles during preliminary visits to various departments, McLeod said.
McLeod's remarks on how Ascension St. Alexius Medical Center had seen the community's health care needs through the pandemic sparked applause from the audience.
The village has been recently helping to acclimatize an influx of immigrants from Ukraine and other countries, demonstrating the nation's long-running willingness and ability to accommodate new Americans, he added.
"We've had a lot of good things happen in the past year," McLeod said. "We look forward to even better things in 2023."