Sears, Roebuck and Co. and a large real estate developer announced a proposal Monday to build an 11,000-seat sports and entertainment arena on land near its northwest suburban Hoffman Estates headquarters.
The project, led by Minnesota-based developer Ryan Companies U.S. Inc., is estimated to cost
$60 million to complete, the two companies said in a joint announcement.
Project spokesman Michael Millar said no agreements are in place concerning potential events, but numerous sports and concert promoters have expressed interest in booking events at the arena.
The companies said the village of Hoffman Estates is expected to issue $50 million in bonds for the project, which will be paid back entirely from revenues generated by the facility.
If the Hoffman Estates village board grants approval, groundbreaking is expected next spring with the first events to be hosted by fall 2006.
COUPLE SLAIN: A Prospect Heights couple was gunned down Sunday as they sat in a car outside their apartment complex after returning from a trip to the grocery store, officials said Monday.
About 7:30 p.m., Edgar Cortez, 32, and his girlfriend, who shared an apartment in the 600 block of Piper Lane, were shot several times at close range as they sat in Cortez’s blue 1988 Chevy Corsica, officials said. Police were unable to verify the woman’s legal name with relatives Monday. However, Cortez’s mother said the family knew her as Yolanda Garcia.
Both died of multiple gunshot wounds, a spokeswoman with the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
“Clearly, this wasn’t a random crime,” Prospect Heights Police Chief Bruce Morris said, adding that neither victim had a criminal history.
Police recovered four shell casings from a handgun, possibly a 9mm, Morris said, and residents reported seeing a white pickup near Cortez’ vehicle shortly before the shooting.
Police would not discuss possible motives in the shooting, but they confirmed that Cortez was attacked earlier this year.
Police would not give details of that attack.
SKYWAY ROBBERS: Over the last few weeks, two highway robbers have held up the toll plaza on the Chicago Skyway, cleaning out a cash drawer each time, police said.
Police believe the same men in a black Dodge Diplomat have robbed the toll plaza five times, including twice Saturday. The first robbery was on Oct. 21, with stickups also on Thursday and Friday, police spokesman David Bayless said.
The man in the passenger seat points a gun at the toll taker and demands the cash box. The robbers have driven off with hundreds of dollars each time, for a total of about $1,500, Bayless said.
The skyway, the leg of Interstate Highway 90 that spans the Southeast Side and connects the Dan Ryan Expressway to northwest Indiana, costs $2 to cross.
