More than 1K people sign petition opposing $800M Northwestern's renovation project of Ryan Field

Northwestern says it conducted a poll and found majority of people in Evanston support the project

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Monday, February 20, 2023
Nearly 1K people sign petition opposing NU's Ryan Field renovation
At a meeting Sunday, Evanston community groups and neighbors discussed plans to use the Ryan Field as an entertainment venue.

EVANSTON, Ill. (WLS) -- There are still concerns about the plan to rebuild Ryan Field at Northwestern University.

At a meeting Sunday, community groups and neighbors discussed plans to use the field as an entertainment venue.

RELATED: 'Transformational stadium': Northwestern University releases proposed Ryan Field renderings

As of 12:15 p.m. on Monday, more than 1,000 people have signed a petition opposing the $800 million project.

"In the ward meetings, who shows up? Northwestern, to tell us how great their project is," Evanston resident Trisha Connolly said. "That's not enough. That's not leaders getting a holistic approach to what the concerns are and hearing from the community."

ALSO SEE: Evanston residents share mixed opinions on proposed Northwestern Ryan Field stadium renovation plan

Northwestern says it conducted a poll and found the majority of people in Evanston support the project.

The university needs approval from Evanston's city council before construction can begin.

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