Central, South Domes In Plans, Would Cost Millions

HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86 board has taken a first step toward seeking $45 million in "working cash" debt.

Officials say they want to use the money for projects. And they have advanced a list of possibilities, with no cost estimates.

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The items include wintertime inflatable domes for turf fields at both Hinsdale Central and South high schools. The domes, which would likely require zoning approval, could cost millions of dollars.

Earlier this year, school board member Jeff Waters visited the high school in Minnetonka, a Minneapolis suburb. It has a domed field with a packed schedule, he said.

Waters said the local district could end up paying for the domes with income from outside groups that use them. He suggested South and Central could charge $600 an hour, which he called an "extremely conservative" estimate.

Broadwell Air Domes is a major dome manufacturer. According to its website, a dome for a typical full-size field could cost between $2 million and $5 million, depending on size, location and materials

During a June meeting, Josh Stephenson, the district's top finance official, estimated a dome's cost at $3 million.

He described an uphill climb for the domes to generate enough money to pay for themselves. Adn he said it would be harder with domes at both campuses.

"You are hurting yourself because you're creating two places that you have to fill," Stephenson said to the board's finance committee. "Are you actually then driving down rates and you're actually not able to fill them at a rate high enough to break even or make a profit?"

He continued, "If you don't hit that $600 an hour on very high utilization rates, the dome's going to end up costing the district money."

Waters disagreed, calling the domes "an amazing revenue opportunity."

"You don't live in the community, Josh," Waters said at the meeting. "You don't recognize the lack of supply that exists."

Another board member, Liz Mitha, recommended the issue come before the whole board in August.

It has not reached the board yet.

The finance committee, which had been meeting monthly, has not met since June.

At last week's board meeting, the administration presented a list of "facility needs" as possible debt-financed projects.

The list was released to the public the next day as part of the board's agenda packet.

Besides the $55 million in "working cash" debt, the district also plans to seek $35 million in debt for "life safety" projects, which are required as part of a state process. These are mandated for safety and not considered wish lists.

The district says the total $80 million would mean an $83 property tax hike for a median-valued house, which is nearly $570,000. The amount would rise by $10 annually.