>>> ITS BEEN A TURBULENT YEAR AMID MOUNTING LAWSUITS OVER A HAZING SCANDAL.

A BRIGHT SPOT WAS A 480 MILLION-DOLLAR COMMITMENT TO REBUILD THE STADIUM BY PAT RYAN.

TO FUND THE REST OF THE 80 MILLION-DOLLAR JOB FORTH WESTERN SAID IT NEEDS REVENUE FROM AT LEAST SIX CONCERTS.

MANY NEIGHBORS ARE PUSHING BACK ON THAT PROPOSAL AND MORE THAN 250 FACULTY MEMBERS HAVE ASKED FOR A PAUSE IN THE PLAN SAYING WE NEED TO GET THE EXISTING HOUSE IN ORDER BEFORE EXPANDING IT.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES AND TOMORROW'S COUNCIL LAND USE COMMITTEE HEARING ARE CITY COUNCILMEMBER, DEVON REED OF THE 8th WARD, REVERAND MICHAEL NEIGHBORS PRESIDENT OF THE EVANSTON NORTH SHORE NAACP; THE VICE PRESIDENT OF NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUP MOST LIVEABLE CITY ASSOCIATION WHOSE MEMBERS ARE AGAINST THE NEW STADIUM AND CONCERT AND EVANSTON CITY COUNCILMEMBER WHOSE WARD INCLUDES THE STADIUM.

BOTH NORTHWESTERN URINE AND THE MAYOR DECLINED OUR INVITATION TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION.

I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

LET'S START WITH YOU.

YOU ARE IN FAVOR.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVANSTONO BE A CULL INTERESTAL HUB AND I THINK ADDING CONCERTS AND BRINGING IN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO EVANSTON WILL BE GOOD FOR BUSINESSES, WILL BE GOOD FOR PROMOTING EVANSTON AND THE BUILD OUT ALONE WILL BRING MANY JOBS TO NORTHWESTERN IS COMMITTED TO TARGETING THOSE JOBS TO THE MINORITY COMMUNITY.

>> YOU ARE AGAINST CONCERTS AT NORTHWESTERN'S PROPOSED STADIUM.

>> VERY IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS THAT NORTHWESTERN IS REQUESTING.

ONE IS FOR THE STADIUM FACILITY ITSELF AND THE OTHERS FOR THE CONCERTS AND IT IS CONCERTS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT -- CHANGING THE ZONING CODE WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE STANDARDS THAT THE COUNCIL IS REQUIRED TO CONSIDER WHEN WE LOOK AT A ZONING CHANGE.

>> HASN'T THE UNIVERSITY THOUGH SUGGESTED TWEAKING THE NUMBER AND AUDIENCE SIZE OF THOSE CONCERTS AS A COMPROMISE?

IS THAT STILL NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?

>> IT STILL MEANS SIX COMMERCIAL CONCERTS, BRINGING 28,500 PEOPLE TO THE 7th WARD.

THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DENSE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE PARKING PLAN IS NOT REALISTIC.

IT REQUIRES MANY, MANY CONCERT GOERS TO PARK IN THE DOWNTOWN OR ON THE LAKEFRONT AND THEN TO TAKE SHUTTLES TO THE STADIUM.

UPWARD OF 200 SHUTTLES RUN AFTER THE CONCERT.

I THINK THAT'S NOT A REALISTIC EXPECTATION.

>> REVERAND, WHAT KINDS OF JOBS AND FUNDING HAS NORTHWEST EASTERN PROMISED THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THIS STADIUM IS BUILT?

>> THERE'S BEEN A TREAT DEAL OF COMMITMENT.

NOT ONLY AFTER THE STADIUM HAS BEEN BUILT BUT DURING CONSTRUCTION.

NORTHWESTERN HAS MADE A COMMITMENT OFFERING AT LEAST 35% OF ALL OF THOSE SUBCONTRACTOR JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS JOBS TO BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES AS WELL AS WOMEN THAT COMES OUT TO BE ABOUT IT $08 MILLION.

THEY ARE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT FOR WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $10 MILLION AND WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT IS AN AREA THAT IS CENTERED SPECIFICALLY ON YOUNG, BLACK AND BROWN ADULTS SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE COMMITMENTS.

THEY HAVE ALSO COMMITTED 3,000 JOBS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION AND WE ARE MAKING A COMMITMENT TO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AS THE NAACP TO BE SURE THAT JOBS ARE PERMANENT.

>> THOSE ARE SAID TO BE TARGETS, NOT COMMITMENTS AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU TRUST THE UNIVERSITY TO MAKE GOOD.

>> IT'S NOT THAT I TRUST THEM.

IT'S THAT SINCE THEY HAVE MADE IT PUBLIC AS THE NACCP PRESIDENT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE HOLDING TRUE TO WHAT THEY HAVE TAR GETTED.

>> YOUR GROUP IS OPPOSED TO BOTH THE STADIUM AS WELL AS THE CONCERTS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

TELL ME WHY?

>> I DON'T THINK THAT'S COMPLETELY CORRECT.

WE AREN'T OPPOSED TO THE REBUILDING BUT SO THE CONCERTS.

WE THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE CONCRETE PROMISES MADE TO THE COMMUNITY AND I TAKE THAT BACK.

WE DON'T WANT PROMISES BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK THEY ARE SUFFICIENT.

WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN NORTHWESTERN'S COMMITMENT TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH.

WE THINK THAT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN FORCE THEM TO DO SO IS LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.

WE HAVE BEEN ASKING THE COUNCIL AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO FORCE NORTHWESTERN TO AGREE TO A COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT'S LEGALLY BINDING SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON PROMISES OR WHATEVER ELSE THE NAACP HAS WHEN THEY DECIDE THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THINGS.

THERE ARE OTHER COMMITMENTS LIKE A WORK TO HAVE PLUMBERS AND TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET INTO PLUMBING AND OTHER TRADES AND THEY STOPPED THAT PROGRAM AFTER A YEAR.

THEY HAVE MANY REPEATED HISTORY OF STARTING COMMITMENTS AND THEN STOPPING THEM ONCE THE ISSUE IS NO LONGER IN THE PRESS.

I WANT TO SAY WHAT IT'S RIDICULOUS BECAUSE WHEN -- IN THEIR OWN STATED DOCUMENTED THEY CLAIM 3,000 JOBS BUT THEY ARE ALL CONSTRUCTION.

THEY ARE NOT GUARANTEED TO GO TO RESIDENTS AND THEY WILL ONLY LAST FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE YOU DON'T -- CONSTRUCTION ISN'T FOREVER.

WE TALK ABOUT PERMANENT JOBS THE JOBS ARE ALMOST ENTIRELY CONCESSION BASED JOBS FOR PEOPLE WORKING THE STADIUM WHILE THEY HAVE THE VERY FEW GAMES AND THE VERY FEW CONCERTS WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN ANYONE FOR A STABLE LIVING FOR A FULL TIME JOB, MOSTLY PART-TIME JOBS AND ALSO IF ANYONE IS AT ALL WARE OF THE SITUATION IN EVANSON HOUSING IS EXPENSIVE, IT'S RIDICULOUS AND NO ONE CAN SUSTAIN A FAMILY WITH THESE PART-TIME JOBS OR TEMPORARY JOBS.

YOU MENTIONED A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT.

COUNCILMEMBER REID WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE?

>> I WOULD WANT TO SEE A COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF EVANSTON.

THERE'S -- YEARS AGO THERE WAS -- A REPORT PUT TOGETHER BY CITY STAFF THAT ESTIMATED THAT IF NORTHWESTERN DID PAY PROPERTY TAXES THEY WOULD PAY ABOUT $40 MILLION A YEAR WHICH NEEDS ABOUT UPDATED FOR INFLATION BUT IF YOU LOOK AT STATES WITH STRONG AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THEIR UNIVERSITY PARTNERS, MASSACHUSETTS IS HELD UP AS A NATIONAL MODEL AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD -- IF WE WERE IN MASSACHUSETTS NORTHWESTERN WOULD PAY 25% OF THEIR OVERALL TAX BILL.

THAT'S $10 MILLION AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR $10 MILLION BETWEEN THE CITY OF EVANSTON AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH WE -- CAN GET THIS THROUGH A SUR CHARGE ON TICKET SALES.

>> REVERAND, YOU ARE NOT A FAN OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS COMMITMENT.

WHY NOT?

WOULD THAT NOT HOLD THE UNIVERSITY TO ACCOUNT?

>> IT'S -- IT'S A PROJECT THAT WILL BE STARTED AND IT'LL END.

IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY AGREEMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE SIGNED WHY IS IT GOING TO BE CONNECTED TO THE PROJECT?

WHY NOT SAY TO THE UNIVERSITY WE WANT TO HAVE A COMMUNITY AGREEMENT BARGIN AND WE WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST MUCH LONGER THAN JUST THE UNIVERSITY?

WHY ARE WE GOING TO TIE IT AROUND THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY AND SAYING YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY AGREEMENT FOREVER.

WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST FOR 100 YEARS.

IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT OUR GRANDCHILDREN AND OUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY AGREEMENT THAT'S TIED TO A PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO START AND END THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME T WILL HAVE TO BE LARGER AND BROADER AND THE SCOPE SHOULD BE INCLUSIVE GOING AS FAR AS 100 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

>> GO HEAD.

>> IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE YOU DISAGREE WITH THE AGREEMENT, JUST YOU THAT THINK IT SHOULDN'T BE TEMPORARY.

AND IF THAT'S THE CASE WE CAN DO THAT.

YOU CAN JUST SAY THAT.

EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT.

THE REASON WE ARE TIEING TO THE STADIUM IS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T ASK FOR SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.

IF THE -- >> IT'S OKAY.

>> IF NORTHWESTERN CURRENTLY WANTS A STADIUM WE CAN'T GET THEM TO THE TABLE WITHOUT SOMETHING TO OFFER IN EXCHANGE.

SO ONCE WE GIVE UP THAT LEVERAGE AND THE STADIUM IS OVER WE CAN'T TRY TO COME UP WITH A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT AFTERWARDS.

THEY HAVE GOTTEN THE MILK.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TRY TO FIGHT ANY HARDER.

>> I WANT TO GET YOU BACK IN HERE.

DESPITE ISSUES WITH PARKING, NOISE AND TRAFFIC YOU SAY YOU ARE A RELUCTANT VOTE YES ON THE STADIUM BUT NO ON THE CONCERTS.

>> I DO APPRECIATE THE JOBS THAT WILL COME WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FACILITY AND -- AND IT'LL BE MUCH BETTER STADIUM IN TERMS OF ITS ADA ACCESSIBILITY, THE FAN EXPERIENCE ET CETERA, SO, I DO UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD BE IN NORTHWESTERN AND BASED -- THAT INTEREST TO HAVE A NEW FACILITY.

I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO AGREE WITH THE REVERAND.

I THINK NORTHWESTERN AS A STAKE HOLDER IN THE COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP TO A GENEROUS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO THE CITY.

IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ITS FACULTY, STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATION AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE -- I DON'T WANT US TO TIE IT TO THE STADIUM AND THE ZONING CHANGE BECAUSE THEN IT'S LIKE SAYING IF YOU OFFER US ENOUGH MONEY FOR -- THEN WE WILL CHANGE OUR ZONING CODE AND IN MY -- IN MY MIND I KEEP THEM SEPARATE.

>> IF THE CITY COUNCIL DOES VOTE FOR THIS STADIUM AND FOR THE CONCERTS WILL THERE BE LAWSUITS?

>> YES.

I MEAN WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM -- WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS WITH REGARDS TO ZONING ISSUES OR -- I GUESS LIKE STRUCTURAL IND GRITY TYPE ISSUES.

IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE JUST GENERAL LEGAL CONCEPTS WE ARE WEIGHING OUT.

MOST PROMINENTLY I DO WANT TO SAY ONE THING WE WILL BE PUSHING AND WE EXPECT THE CITY COUNCIL TO D ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE ALLOWING CONCERTS IS TO RECOGNIZE AND REQUIRE SOME DEGREE OF PAYMENT, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SHOULDN'T BE ENGAGING IN BUSINESS WITHOUT PAYING PROPERTY TAXES THE WAY EVERY OTHER BUSINESS AND EVERY PERSON, RESIDENT IN EVANSTON IS PAYING WHICH IS -- DIRECTLY RELATED TO WHY HOUSING PRICES ARE SO EXPENSIVE.

>> ABOUT 20 SECONDS.

>> AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE STADIUM AND ON WHAT -- YOU KNOW WHAT THE STADIUM WILL BRING TO THE AREA.

THE VALUE OF THE STADIUM AND NOT ON -- I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION THAT IS LONG BEEN CALLED FOR ABOUT PAYMENTS INSTEAD OF TAXES, A PILOT AGREEMENT BUT I DON'T THINK THAT INDICATION IS APPROPRIATE HERE BUT I THINK WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO GET MORE RESOURCES FOR NORTHWESTERN.