Residents opposed to 25,000 seat cricket stadium in Oswego start petition against project

Residents worried about the noise, traffic and other problems a proposed 25,000-seat outdoor cricket stadium in Oswego could generate have started a petition against the project.

“The influx of visitors during cricket matches and national and international events would undoubtedly lead to increased traffic on already busy roads, causing delays for residents trying to commute or run errands,” states the petition, which has garnered more than 1,000 signatures. “It would put a strain on our already taxed first responders and pose a risk of impeding EMS service response times, while posing safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists.”

Oswego resident Paresh Patel of Chakra360 LLC has submitted plans to build the professional cricket stadium with a clubhouse and restaurant on 33.48 acres at the northwest corner of Orchard Road and Tuscany Trail in Oswego. The land currently is zoned for manufacturing and the proposed stadium would be considered a special use.

Patel invited neighbors living near the project to an Aug. 24 informational meeting at the Oswego campus of the Oswego Public Library. The proposed Breybourne Stadium would be built in phases.

As proposed, the stadium would be open for use in late summer or early fall 2024, with a seating capacity of 2,000. Phase 3 of the project would bring the capacity up to 6,000 and Phase 4 would increase it to about 14,000 people.

With the seating increased to 14,000, the stadium would be able to accommodate national cricket events possibly by fall 2026, according to the plans. Future plans involve completing second- and third-level stadium seating, which would bring capacity to between 24,000 and 25,000 people.

Those plans are dependent upon the sanctioning of future International cricket events.

During the meeting, Patel told residents that village officials would have to approve each stage of the plan.

“Every single stage that we build, all these documents plus more would be submitted to the village for review,” he said.

The Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission is set to review the plans at its meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 at Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill, Oswego. Oswego resident Lorie Witzel is concerned about the impact the project would have on her neighborhood.

Witzel lives on the west side of Orchard Road in a townhouse in the Blackberry Knolls subdivision. The stadium would be in her backyard.

“My property line directly connects to the proposed property,” Witzel said. “This venue will be right behind me.”

The project also includes a 14,000-square-foot clubhouse with a restaurant and a 120-room hotel and restaurant. The petition also addresses the potential noise problems the stadium could create.

“The constant roar from cheering crowds and floodlights illuminating the night sky would disturb residents’ peace and tranquility,” according to the petition.

Residents also are worried about the project increasing crime in their neighborhood and causing environmental problems.

Witzel believes the project would be better suited elsewhere.

“Whether this community wants this or not, this is not the right piece of property for it,” she said. “It’s just too much. I just don’t think a residential area is appropriate. There’s plenty of other places if the community wanted it.”

According to the plans, traffic associated with the stadium will occur off-peak as games are played in the evenings and on weekends. Patel plans to work with village officials to develop traffic control management plans that would discourage and prevent stadium traffic from using Tuscany Trail to the west of the facility.

All stadium traffic would be directed to the Orchard Road access points.

The plans can be found at oswegoil.org/planningzoning.