After months of contentious talks, protests and votes, City Council is finally set to vote on two ordinances Monday: one that rezones Ryan Field to allow for public-facing concerts and another for the proposed rebuild of the stadium itself. While many of the project’s most vocal opponents have been Evanston residents, several student activist groups.
Evanston City Council is voting about whether to rebuild Ryan Field on Monday. Listen to a recap of the debate behind the stadium’s rebuild before the big vote. EVIE RUSSELL: I’m also opposed to the construction of the new stadium on the grounds of the demolition. The demolition is going to pollute our environment.
After Northwestern submitted a proposed community benefits agreement to City Council just hours before the council’s Monday night meeting on NU’s Ryan Field rebuild, residents and councilmembers had strong reactions to the proposed agreement — and how it could impact the community amid the potential stadium rebuild and proposal to host concerts at the venue..
Northwestern has submitted a draft community benefits agreement to the city of Evanston, committing $100 million to initiatives that could help serve city residents amid the Ryan Field rebuild, the university announced in a Monday afternoon press release. Over a period of 10 years, the university plans to increase its annual contributions to the Good.
Through several debates over Northwestern’s contentious proposal to rebuild Ryan Field, local activist groups, including the Northwestern Accountability Alliance, have been calling for a community benefits agreement. A CBA is a legally enforceable contract between a party that wants to develop something ― in this case, the University ― and community groups representing individuals impacted.