I wanted to register my strong support for Northwestern’s new stadium rebuild proposal funded by the generous gift provided by the Ryan family. We’ve lived in Evanston for the past 17 years, have two teenage boys now both at ETHS, and we have thoroughly enjoyed living near campus and benefiting from all its many activities and amenities. The excitement this past weekend by Northwestern Wildcat football hosting its season home opener was energizing. It was great to hear the game announcer and roar of the crowd, and to see all the lively activity of residents, students and visitors in attendance.
There have been several recent local projects revitalizing many of Evanston’s major community venues, which serve as key differentiators for the Evanston community (which initially were met with concerns by residents living in proximity of each): the Fleetwood Jourdain/Levy Senior Center, the Ashland neighborhood (Soul and Smoke and Double Clutch Brewery), the Central Street bridge, and currently the Canal Shores Golf Course and soon Northwestern’s Ryan Field. These projects, all existing buildings, infrastructure and venues, require significant capital to maintain but are vital to improving neighborhoods and Evanston.
Consider the benefits of this tremendous, once-in-a-generation gift that the new Ryan field would contribute to the Evanston community:
Significant Financial and Equity Benefits
• The stadium rebuild will be fully privately funded by a gift of more than $500 million (no taxpayer financing) presenting economic opportunities for the entire community.
• The design, planning and construction will generate more than $600 million in economic impact, support 2,900+ jobs and contribute $12 million in direct fees to Evanston, while dedicating $10 million towards an Evanston workforce technology upskilling program.
• The City of Evanston projects deficits of nearly $9 million for 2023, more than $16 million for 2024 and $20 million in 2025, thus the direct fees from the new Ryan Stadium project represent a critical and compelling fiscal opportunity for the City’s leaders and the constituents they have been elected to represent.
• The goal for subcontracted spending with local, minority- and women-owned businesses for the Ryan Field project is 35%, with priority given to businesses and individuals located in Evanston.
I understand some of the concerns from residents living right next to the stadium – it will be disruptive as the old stadium is taken down and the new one is constructed. However, it is a tremendous upgrade and improvement and reinvestment of a current structure – everyone living nearby knew that a stadium was going to be in their neighborhood and I, myself, would much rather have a beautiful, thoughtfully designed modern facility rather than a dilapidated, under-utilized, and un-sightly concrete eyesore.
The current university proposal calls for six concerts, or what amounts to 18 hours of additional events per year in addition to the home football games, in exchange for a half a billion-dollar investment into the community. From my perspective, the fiscal benefits alone of the stadium proposal make it a tremendous opportunity for Evanston. Our local government officials, including Mayor Biss and our elected City Council representatives, are tasked with negotiating the best outcome for the City of Evanston, but ultimately must make a responsible decision for the greater good of all of Evanston’s constituents and the community by granting approval for the construction of a new Northwestern Ryan Field, the benefits of which will be bestowed onto its residents for decades to come.
Shane McDaniel
7th Ward resident
Editor’s note: The RoundTable welcomes letters to the editor on all sides of the Ryan Field proposal. We love hearing from our readers, and encourage a diversity of views and subjects in our letters. Here’s how to submit your letter.
Shane, we’re talking apples and oranges. No one says NU can’t build a new stadium, and utilize it according to current zoning ordinances. The issue is about commercialization. The “it’s only 18 hours” argument is wrong; according to NU itself each major concert involves three days of disruption, and that’s a conservative estimate for setup, concert-day, and take down. And what about the 60 events of 10,000 (about a Ravinia-size event)? Or the unlimited events of 7,500? What NU seeks is carte blanche to monetize the facility whenever, however it wishes, impact be damned. All for around $200,000 in additional fiscal benefit to Evanston, according to the city’s own economic study. No one is telling NU it can’t use the facility as currently zoned. It has chosen for years not to do so for reasons that pertain only to its own interests.
You can take the time to write this letter, but you can’t take the time to do your homework? Regurgitating NU’s now proven bogus claims is just being irre or dishonest.
What? Again the lie about 2,900 jobs!. Will this never end, spreading false information? Months ago, at least people did not have all the data, when they drank the cool-aid. But now, Shane! Didn’t you read the study the City published? Didn’t you bother watch the videos where NU admits that the 35% figure includes three counties? For Evanston it’s only 200 jobs.
Be careful what you wish for!
If the zoning is changed and people realize they don’t like it, we can’t change it back. Once it’s done, it can never go back.
When you look at this stadium proposal from a community lens, you realize that most of that $600M economic benefit will benefit companies outside of Evanston, and most of the 2,900 workers will not be from Evanston. Additionally, the $2M in annual PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) payments that Northwestern is currently offering is significantly below what other universities such as Yale pay. Up the PILOT offer significantly, and then it might be worth considering. The PILOT payments should have been increased long before this stadium proposal ever came along.
The outrage and concern over NU’s stadium project is laughable. The project is privately funded, meaning it won’t cost residents a dime. Ryan Field is 96 years old, so replacing it obviously necessary. The local uproar is over six evening concerts a year. What a “first world” problem.
I love music and the arts. However, I doubt that NU would book concerts that interest me. Regardless, I know the joy that concerts bring, and would relish knowing that a stadium full of folks are getting to hear music they love six times a year.
The concerts would burnish Evanston’s reputation nationally as an enlightened, art centered community, and a hip place to live. Let the music play on……..
How many times do we have to keep reading the propaganda and lies that NU is spreading? This is not about 18 hours of inconvenience to near by neighbors. Concert operations require days of trucks loading and unloading for large events. NU is also requesting 60 additional days of events plus the unlimited unknown quantity and style of additional events. Build a new stadium, take the supposed jobs they say that will materialize, take the taxes from the construction. With 35 days of events that are allowed under the current zoning, there is ample opportunity for NU to host community events that will drive more business and fun to Evanston. That doesn’t require a zoning change.