The construction of an Oswego cricket stadium that could one day seat up to 24,000 people has been delayed as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues a review of the site’s wetlands.
The Breybourne Stadium project got preliminary and phase one approvals from the Oswego Village Board last November. However, construction on that first phase has yet to start and the board’s consideration of future phases has been delayed as the EPA continues to push back its wetlands review, which began in May 2023, according to developer and Breybourne Cricket Club CEO Paresh Patel.
“It’s a big financial risk for us not knowing, moving forward, how it will play out with the EPA,” Patel said.
The U.S. EPA is reviewing whether or not the wetlands on the 33-acre property, which is located on the northwest corner of Tuscany Trail and Orchard Road, meet the qualifications to be “jurisdictional” — that is, whether or not they are federally regulated, he said.
Jurisdictional determinations are issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to the EPA’s website.
Patel said the Rock Island District of the Army Corps of Engineers determined that the wetlands on the property are “non-jurisdictional” last November. This would mean that the wetlands are not federally regulated and are instead regulated by the village of Oswego, he said.
The Army Corps of Engineers sent the EPA its findings for final review and approval at that time, according to Patel. But, he said the EPA review process started even earlier than that — an application was submitted to ask the EPA to review the wetlands in May 2023.
After receiving the Army Corps of Engineers determination in November, the EPA said it would sign off on the findings by mid-December, Patel said. However, he said that the deadline continued to be delayed – first to February, then to March, then to June and again to Oct. 4.
When Oct. 4 came, the EPA continued to delay its deadline, this time until Jan. 3 of next year, Patel said.
“Of course, we want them to do a thorough investigation,” he said. “We believe in protecting the wetlands and nature. But since the original opinion is saying this is not jurisdictional, we just want to make sure that the EPA respects that and finalizes whatever their findings may be.”
An EPA spokesperson did not respond by late Tuesday afternoon to questions sent that morning.
Construction on phase one of the project, which is just the cricket pitch, was supposed to start in the spring but has now been delayed to next year, according to Patel.
He said that means the project is delayed by nearly a year.
Engineering of future phases is also delayed, since phase two of the project involves installing stormwater mitigation measures that are currently planned to enter the wetlands, Patel said. He previously said the plan was to present phase two of the project to the Oswego Village Board this summer.
In addition to the stormwater infrastructure, this phase of the project would add a players’ clubhouse and training center, seating for up to 2,000 spectators and parking lots on the south, east and west of the site, according to past reporting.
An artist’s rendering of the planned cricket stadium in Oswego. (Dewberry)
Phase three of the project, which was previously proposed for late 2024 or 2025, would add another clubhouse for members of the Breybourne Cricket Club, seating for up to 6,000 spectators and a parking lot on the north side of the property.
Future phases of the project, which would include seating for up to 24,000 people, would rely on the success of previous phases, Patel previously said.
Plans for the site also include a hotel and restaurant, according to past reporting.
Despite the delays, Patel said he still believes the project will have a positive impact on Oswego and surrounding communities.
“We’re anxiously waiting for this project even though it’s been delayed significantly,” he said.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
