>>> SOME RESIDENTS OF EVANSTON ARE PLANNING TO TRY NORTHWESTERN'S BIG PLANS TO REBUILD CENTURY-OLD RYAN FIELD.

THE UNIVERSITY SAYS THE NEW STADIUM WILL BE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS THIS MAY HAVE THE OPTION FOR CONCERTS AND OTHER EVENTS.

HE PARIS SCHUTZ HAS BEEN REPORTING IN EVANSTON THIS WEEK AS PART OF OUR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THEORIES.

PARIS JOINS US NOW.

PARIS?

RELAX NO EVERYWHERE ACROSS CHICAGO, BRANDIS.

YEAH, A COALITION OF COMMUNITY GROUPS IS PLANNING TO GET TOGETHER THIS SUNDAY TO AIR THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS NEW PLAN , AND IF YOU WALK ACROSS THE STREET OF EVANSTON, WHEN YOU CAN SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S NOT SNOWING, YOU WON'T FIND A MORE POLARIZING ISSUE.

THERE ARE SIGNS IN PEOPLE'S YARDS PRO AND AGAINST THIS MEGA PLAN TO TEAR DOWN THE OLD STADIUM BEHIND ME AND REPLACE IT WITH A BRAND-NEW ONE.

SOME THRILLED AT THE POTENTIAL, OTHERS NOT SO MUCH.

PERRY L DAVIS LIVES LESS THAN TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM RYAN FIELD, BUT SHE SAYS SHE'S LEAVING TOWN IF THE NEW STADIUM BECOMES REALITY.

>> IF THEY DO HAVE THE STADIUM, AND THEY START USING IT FOR CONCERTS, I PLAN TO MOVE.

IT'S NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR.

>> Reporter: THE SCHOOL GOT A $480 MILLION GIFT FROM THE RYAN FAMILY.

A BIG CHUNK OF THAT FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FOOTBALL STADIUM.

NORTHWESTERN'S SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS SIZE THE CURRENT STADIUM WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 1900S AND IS SORELY IN NEED OF A REVAMP.

>> THERE'S A NUMBER OF STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES THAT'S WRONG WITH THE STADIUM, AND WE JUST NEED TO BRING IT INTO THE 21st CENTURY.

>> Reporter: THE UNIVERSITY SAYS THE PROPOSAL FEATURES MORE ACCESSIBILITY, PUBLIC GREEN SPACE, AND 12,000 RECEIPTS TO REDUCE CONGESTION.

BUT THE REDESIGN ISN'T THE ISSUE FOR MANY RESIDENTS.

IT'S THE ADDED ACTIVITY THEY BELIEVE IT WILL BRING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS IS BECAUSE THE UNIVERSITY APPLIED TO CHANGE ZONING TO ALLOW FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LECTURES , SPEAKERS, MUSIC FESTIVALS, AND OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS FOR UP TO 10,000 PEOPLE.

TO PERRY L DAVIS, WHO VOLUNTEERS WITH THE MOST LIVABLE CITY ASSOCIATION, THAT MEANS MORE FOOT TRAFFIC AND A MORE UNPREDICTABLE CROWD THAN THE USUAL NORTHWESTERN FANS.

>> NORTHWESTERN IS TRYING TO GIVE US A HAMBURGER AND PIZZA .

>> Reporter: GARRETT CARB IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EVAN AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

HE SEES THE ADDED EVENTS AS A GOOD DEAL FOR EVANSTON'S BUSINESSES , WHO RELY ON THE HANDFUL OF WILDCAT HOME GAMES.

>> Reporter: BUSINESSES ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR , YOU KNOW, SEEING THE TRAFFIC , BRINGING AUDIENCES, BUT ALSO THE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

>> Reporter: THE FIELD IS A FAN FAVORITE.

MUSTARD'S LAST STAND, SERVING HOTDOGS AND MART SINCE THE 1960S.

MANAGER SAMUEL LACEY AT SAYS THE PROJECT WILL BE A BOON FOR SALES OF ITEMS LIKE THE FAMOUS WILDCAT BURGER, A HALF POUND OF GROUND BEEF WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE, GRILLED ONIONS, BARBECUE SAUCE , AND JORDAN ERA PEPPERS.

>> NORMALLY, EVERYBODY ALWAYS COMES LOOKING FOR MUSTARD ON EVERY GAME, EVERY EVENT THAT NORTHWESTERN HAS.

IT'LL MAKE OUR BUSINESS SECURE.

>> Reporter: THE SCHOOL PRODUCED AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY THAT CONCLUDES THE NEW STADIUM WILL GENERATE OVER $1 BILLION IN COOK AND LAKE COUNTIES COMBINED.

A SENIOR AT NORTHWESTERN WITH THE GROUP STUDENTS ORGANIZING FOR LABOR RIGHTS IS ASKING FOR AN INDEPENDENT ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY.

HER GROUP IS ALSO HOPING THE UNIVERSITY HIRES A DIVERSE WORKFORCE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND FOR UNION NEUTRALITY.

>> NORTHWESTERN HAS AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES, AND IT'S TIME FOR IT TO DO THE RIGHT THING WITH THOSE RESOURCES AND RE-PAYBACK THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GIVEN IT SO MUCH BY LETTING US BE HERE TAX-FREE.

>> Reporter: DAVE DAVIS SAYS THE SCHOOL IS STILL OPEN TO HEARING COMMUNITY CONCERNS .

IT HAS ALREADY MADE CHANGES TO THE PLAN, LIKE DECREASING THE NUMBER OF SEATS, AND AN UNDERGROUND LOADING DOCK TO LESSEN TRAFFIC.

>> IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO JUST NOTE THAT THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, THIS MAGNITUDE OF INVESTMENT REQUIRES US TO DESIGN I FACILITY THAT WILL BE BOTH ENVIRONMENTALLY AND FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE.

AND WE KNOW WE CAN'T DO THAT WITH SEVEN FOOTBALL GAMES PER YEAR.

>> Reporter: AND, BRANDIS, THAT COALITION OF COMMUNITY GROUPS PLANS TO MEET AT 3:00 P.M. AT THE FLEETWOOD CENTER HERE IN EVANSTON TO AIR OUT SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS.

BEFORE WE GO, WE SHOULD UPDATE ON ANOTHER STORY .

THAT TREE THAT FELL ON NORTHWESTERN'S MAIN CAMPUS OFF OF SHERIDAN, FOUR PEOPLE WERE INJURED, THREE WERE TREATED FOR SERIOUS INJURIES AT THE HOSPITAL.

WE HAVE ALL DETAILS ON THAT ON OUR WEBSITE,