Oswego cricket stadium plans moving forward after village board approval

Work is expected to start in the spring on a proposed outdoor cricket stadium in Oswego that could eventually seat between 24,000 and 25,000 people after the Oswego Village Board approved the plans at its Nov. 7 meeting.

Trustees voted 4-1 to approve a special use permit for Phase 1 of the project, which involves construction of the field and wicket and installation of underground drain tiles. They also recommended approval of preliminary concept plans for all five phases of the project.

Voting “no” was Village Trustee Tom Guist. Village Trustee Kit Kuhrt was absent from the meeting.

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.

Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman noted the project will be totally privately funded.

“There are no incentives whatsoever,” he said. “It’s all private equity. It seems like he took the ball and ran with it. He didn’t need anything from the taxpayers.”

Kauffman also noted that Patel has agreed to have traffic, parking and sound studies done as the project proceeds. Prior to the approval of any future phases, additional traffic and parking studies and sound studies will be required. The Oswego Planning and Commission had recommended that the petitioner install a fence or sound wall along the west property line and consider relocating the stadium 50 feet to the east or northeast on the site, further away from the nearby Blackberry Knolls subdivision.

He hopes the project will go forward as planned.

“I love the idea of more sports and sporting events in Oswego,” Kauffman said. “I would love for everyone to think of Oswego as the place to be for sports.”

Residents in the subdivision have voiced concerns about potential noise from the stadium along with the additional traffic it would bring. Patel has agreed to install a six-foot privacy fence along the west property line.

However, those working with Patel on the project have said that relocating the stadium would be cost prohibitive and would involve disturbing wetlands while disrupting the natural flow of water on the site.

They also said moving the stadium would have little impact on reducing noise or reducing the amount of light coming from the stadium. According to information, the stadium’s light poles would be 140 feet high and will be directed toward the field of play.

“Fifty feet is the length of this room. The key to addressing the noise is by physical barriers,” Mike Schoppe, of Schoppe Design Associates (SDA) in Oswego, said in addressing the Village Board.

Guist disputed that assertion.

“There’s no way it can’t reduce it,” he said. “It’s further away.”

He also was dismayed there was no analysis done on what it would cost to move the stadium further to the east.

Among those speaking in opposition to the proposed stadium was Blackberry Knolls resident Julie Evans.

“I’m opposed to a cricket stadium in my backyard,” she said, in addressing the Village Board. “Would you guys like that in your backyard?

Yorkville City Council alderman Rusty Corneils also spoke against the project. He said the residents in the ward he represents would be negatively impacted by the project.

“This project will fundamentally impact the quality of life of the residents of not only your community, but also the residents of Yorkville and Montgomery,” he said. “There is no sound barrier made by man or God that can make 24,000 cheering fans go unnoticed.”

As part of phase two of the project, 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.

As proposed, the stadium would be a seasonal facility that would operate from April to October. 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.

He has said the location is well suited for a cricket stadium.

“Orchard Road is a highly traveled regional transportation corridor which can handle heavy traffic,” he said.

Patel also noted plans call for a Metra commuter train station to be built near the site, which would provide public transportation as well as parking spaces for those going to the stadium.