The Illinois Senate has passed a bill for the sale of Tinley Park Mental Health Center’s 280-acre property to the Tinley Park District for $1. The property, located northwest of the intersection of Harlem Avenue and 183rd Street, has been sought after by both the Park District and the Village for acquisition. The Park District plans to use the land for recreational purposes, while the Village aims for revenue-generating development. However, before it can be sold or redeveloped, the property will require millions of dollars to be spent on cleaning up its environmental issues. It is still uncertain who will pay for this cost, as negotiations for a final sale have been terminated by the state. The state had initially purchased the property for $4.5 million. The bill still requires final approval from the parliament, and any zoning changes for recreational development approval would need to be approved by the Tinley Park Village Board.
The land had previously been considered for the construction of a harness racetrack and casino, but a pending law has prohibited gambling development on the premises. The Park District’s plan for the property includes a dome-shaped regulation size soccer field, while the Village aims to create a mixed-use recreational district. Any changes to the land would need to be approved by the Tinley Park Village Board, regardless of whether the Park District or Village ultimately manages the land. The original House bill had proposed designating September each year as alopecia awareness month, but the Hastings Amendment requires the state to transfer its land to the Park District for public purposes only. If the property is developed for gambling use, the land would be returned to the state. Hastings supports the Park District’s proposal, as the community wants something that will benefit them.