Two companies to make proposals for Union Station banquet hall in Joliet

JOLIET – Two local businesses are interested in taking over the banquet room at Union Station: Mistwood Golf Club and Cutting Edge Catering.

A third business that provides catering and banquet services at the Kemper Lakes Golf Club in Kildeer has dropped out, Economic Development Director Steve Jones said.

Jones provided an update on the transition plan for the Grand Ballroom at Union Station on Thursday to the Joliet City Council Economic Development Committee.

“It’s down to two firms,” Jones said.

The city sent out a request for qualifications to about 70 catering and banquet businesses earlier this year after Bussean Custom Caterers gave notice it would leave in January. Bussean has run the banquet operation at the old train station since 2001.

The city received responses from Mistwood in Romeoville, Cutting Edge in Shorewood and the Kemper caterer, Jones said. But at a recent walk-through at Union Station, no one from Kemper showed up.

The walk-through was a mandatory criteria for the city to move to the next step, which is to consider proposals from Mistwood and Cutting Edge. Jones said the city did not want to choose a company that had not been given a tour of the station.

“You have to be in the facility to see it and make a decent proposal, so you don’t come back later and say, ‘We didn’t know that,’ ” Jones said.

A proposal is likely to go to the City Council for approval in September, he said.

Exit lease

The Economic Development Committee also recommended approval of a transitional lease for Bussean, which lowers the monthly rent the company pays to Joliet at Union Station.

In turn, Bussean will leave light fixtures the company added to the banquet facility.

Bussean has paid 15 percent of gross revenues plus $4 a person for use of the city-owned banquet hall. The transitional lease changes the rent to a flat $5,000 a month.

“I think it’s a fair and classy exit agreement,” said committee Chairman Larry Hug.

Brian Nussbaum said the transitional lease provides some but not full compensation for the fixtures that Bussean has added to the room.

He said that Bussean management, which also runs Patrick Haley Mansion, another banquet facility in Joliet, are “excited to remain vibrant members of the business community. Hopefully, this agreement reflects that.”

The transitional lease will go to the full council for final approval at a later date.