Main and Main - Part 2

On January 8, 2026, I authored an article here about the proposed Amazon retail facility coming to 159th Street and LaGrange Road.

Since then, I’ve seen online consternation coming from individuals asking, “what guarantees has the village secured in the event that the project fails?”

This depends upon what one means by “guarantee”.

Are we talking about promises to never close or go out of business?

Since 2017, the following nameplate retailers have disappeared from Orland Park not to mention other markets):

Payless Shoe Source, HHGregg, Sears, Carson’s, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Stein Mart, and Pier 1 Imports. Not to mention mid-tier chains (apparel, specialty, or restaurants – Chuck Lager comes to mind).

Did the prior administration secure any promises or guarantees when these entities went bankrupt, or the chains collapsed, or were restructured, shrunk, or liquidated under their tenure?

Of course not. The village is not a landlord in that respect.

Are we talking about clawing back tax inducements?

A carrot and stick approach?

Perhaps. But the village isn’t done inking the Amazon development deal yet.

Communities, like Orland Park, which rely heavily on retail are more about the carrot than the stick.

When Carson’s closed in August 2018, in Orland Square, the village worked with Von Maur to take over the space. This happened in November 2019.

There was no “stick” for Carson’s after Bon-Ton’s (holding company) liquidation. How could there be?

Von Maur’s “carrot” was in the form of a sales tax rebate and real estate tax abatement over a period of time. The “stick” was a commitment by Von Maur, to remodeling, and reimbursements of sales tax revenues if there were breaches to the agreement.

Are we, as residents, grateful that Von Maur planted their flag in Orland Park?

Of course.

Was the inducement fair at the time?

Sure. The village did an excellent job on that.

Keep in mind, retailers still follow rooftops just like fifty years ago. Orland Park and the surrounding communities have plenty of rooftops that translate into sales.

Now we get to the Amazon project.

Some are complaining about:

No transparency.

Somehow the village schemed to slip in the Plan Commission agenda the day after New Year’s to suppress public participation.

Like in my last article, village hall was jam-packed including TV camera crews and citizens being pulled aside prior to the meeting to voice their opinions to the assembled press.

If the village was trying to bury it…

‘The Plan Commission vote wasn’t unanimous. Therefore, the matter must go before the Committee of the Whole’.

It will. Monday night.

‘They can’t send it to the Board of Trustees on the same night. They have to wait for 48 hours.’

There is no planning decision “cooling off period” as if you were going to buy a weapon.

So long as both meetings are properly noticed up…decisions can be made, or tabled, or whatever, on Monday night.

If you still don’t like the whole Amazon thing…you can show up for both meetings on Monday and express your displeasure for three minutes, each.

The trustees will be happy to hear you…twice.

There’s nothing nefarious going on. This is how this all works.