Politics & Government

Morton Grove OKs Fear City To Engage Additional Entertainment

It would host charitable gaming events, police training, laser tag, and other entertainment in months other than October.


This month, Fear City is in its third year of running a regional-quality haunted house, with people driving to the Morton Grove attraction from around the Chicago area.

However, the other 11 or so months of the year (give or take some rehearsal in September), the huge space, in an industrial zone in the 8200 block of Austin, sits vacant.

Owners Chuck Grendys and Jim Lichon asked the village board to change their business licensing to allow them to bring in other types of business during the year, and the board approved that Monday. The village's Plan Commission had earlier approved it.

Nancy Radzevich, the village's Economic Development director, explained the Fear City owners were looking at bringing in Airsoft laser tag, tactical training for law enforcement officers, movie nights, charitable gaming events and other entertainment uses. 

"Last year, people said, can we rent your lobby? Can we rent your facility? And I had to say no," said Grendys from the podium, explaining Fear City's business license from the village did not permit those uses. 

Radzevich explained almost all the events, except for the police training, would take place on Saturdays and Sundays. That's when there's little activity in the neighboring industrial businesses, as well as plenty of parking in their lots. 

The village plan commission had given a thumbs up to the proposal, with certain conditions. They included restricting the facility to holding eight charitable gaming events per year (which is also the limit permitted by the state); limiting dances and other entertainment events to noon to midnight Saturdays and Sundays, in months other than October, and limiting Airsoft laser tag to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends, and permitting the tactical training anytime.

The village board waived the usually-required second reading of the ordinance because Grendys and Lichon hope to showcase their business to customers coming in this month to attend Fear City. Since the village board doesn't meet again until Oct. 28, that would block out most of Fear City's window of time to market itself to prospective customers.

"I applaud you and your company," Trustee Bill Grear told Grendys, noting Fear City has gotten involved in the community and is even donating some of its proceeds to the District 219 Educational Foundation. He also said police have reported no problems with the haunted house.

"I too would like to compliment you and Jim," Trustee Shel Marcus told Grendys. 

The board passed the ordinance 6-0. Corporation Counsel Terry Liston clarified that the caterers who serve at the charitable gaming events would need to have a catering liquor license from the village.

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