Beacon Academy and the City of Evanston have not been able to reach an agreement on Beacon’s place in and contribution to the new Robert Crown Center, according to information from Friends of the Robert Crown Center. As a result, Beacon Academy has withdrawn from participation in the Center.
Under a draft proposal prepared by Beacon Academy but not ratified by City Council, Beacon Academy would have made a $500,000 capital contribution in exchange for naming rights to the gymnasium and the right to use the gym on a daily basis weekdays during the school year.
An ad hoc citizens group, Evanstonians for a Fiscally Responsible Robert Crown, opposed Beacon’s participation under those conditions.
In a prepared statement, Friend of the Robert Crown Center said, “We are disappointed that the City of Evanston and Beacon Academy could not come to an agreement on usage of the new gym and turf fields at the new Robert Crown Community Center.
“Despite this setback,” the statement continued, “Friends of the Robert Crown Center has raised more than $12.1 million, including nearly $6 million already collected. That’s in addition to $1 million our local legislators won from the state capital bill. We are committed to raising the rest of our $15 million stretch goal, even if it takes us years to do so.”