Oak Brook Park District OKs Deal On McDonald's Soccer Fields

OAK BROOK, IL --- The Oak Brook Park District will close out 2018 on a promising note after it unanimously approved the purchase of a 34-acre patch of land known informally as McDonald's Soccer Fields. The land, which sits at the intersection of Jorie Boulevard and Kensington Road, will cost the park district a total of $15.8 million, Chicago Tribune reports.

The fate of the land came into question after McDonald's moved its headquarters from Oak Brook to Chicago in June.

This led the Park District to place a referendum question on the Nov. 6 ballot asking voters whether they would approve a $17.9 million bond sale to help fund the purchase of the property. Voters approved the referendum, with 68 percent voting in favor.

According to the Oak Brook Park District's website, the district has a 20-year timeline to pay off the bonds. Over that time, a resident with a $1 million house would see an annual property tax increase of around $270.

The Park District intends to preserve the 34 acres as open space by updating and maintaining the existing soccer fields and adding trails and other potential amenities.

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