Last October, the board voted to accept the donation of the vacant project site from Kevin Fialko, owner of the adjoining Oswego Junction shopping center. Under terms of the donation agreement, the village is required to develop a “venue for outdoor live performance and music entertainment and events to be enjoyed by the public” on the site within three years.

During Tuesday evening’s meeting, village staff will ask for guidance from the board in three areas: consider directing staff to seek contractor bids for the project in late fall or early winter to allow for a winter groundbreaking and a grand opening in late summer 2021; to consider directing staff to utilize $238,000 of state general infrastructure improvement grants towards the venue; and to consider directing staff to issue a “call for donations” RFP (Request for Proposals) to help fund the project prior to bidding.

During a June 9 meeting, village staff told board members they had applied for a $750,000 Fast Track Grant from the State of Illinois to help with the financing for the project. However, the village did not receive the grant.

In a memo, village staff confirmed that the project architect and engineer had originally been working towards an October groundbreaking for the project with a grand opening in May of 2021. As a result of the loss of the grant, village officials will recommend to the board that bid openings for the venue be delayed until late fall/early winter in 2020 to “take advantage of the most favorable bidding environment and to split the project budget over two fiscal years,” the memo read. If the board delays, the project would be split over FY21 and FY22, reducing the impact on the village’s budget.

Delaying the project, the memo continued, would push the groundbreaking to winter and a grand opening late next summer.

“This adjusted schedule allows staff more time to put together a donation strategy and to find donors of time, material, and dollars for the project,” the memo continued. “In fact, the additional time would allow staff to issue a call for donations RFP (Requests for Proposals) prior to the official project bidding to identify any potential donors and ensure that their work/material meets the project specifications and quality standards…Any donated time, materials, or dollars will help lower the Village’s portion of the $750,000.”

The village budget for the 2021 fiscal year was passed with a $750,000 line item in the Capital Improvement Plan for the venue. Four funding sources had previously been discussed by the board as possibilities for the project: $800,000 from the sale of the former Oswego Police Station; $265,000 in state capital funds; grants; and fundraising or scholarships.

Despite losing the Fast Track Grant, the village has received $1.37 million in state grants through other sources; some earmarked for specific purposes including the Wolf’s Crossing project, while some were able to be used for general purposes. The village can then consider using $238,000 of “general infrastructure improvements” grants towards the venue project.