Business View Magazine | May 2019

233 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MAY 2019 Recently, the biggest news in Lansing was the September 28, 2018 grand opening of Fox Pointe, a concert and events venue that Village leaders hope will be a “destination driver” to bring people from the Chicago’s southern suburbs to this community of 30,000. Construction of the $5.65 million project began in June 2017, and was financed with funds from the Village’s Ridge Road Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, which allowed it to set aside new tax revenue generated by new construction, redevelopment, or increased assessed property values resulting from improvements to the area, and use the money for infrastructure to support the new development in the district. Built on a site that used to house a business called Fox Home Lumber, and right near the heart of Lansing’s downtown, Fox Pointe has a large amphitheater, a pavilion, a concession building, a building for restrooms, a landscaped entrance and a large green space. The lawn can hold up to 2,000 people, while the open-air pavilion can hold another 330 at 42 picnic tables. “We completed the construction phase and we’re now moving into an operational phase of the venue,” says Village Administrator Dan Podgorski. “Last fall, we had a ribbon-cutting ceremony and then, subsequently, worked with one of our community organizations to host the first festival; it was a three-day, outdoor festival, complete with music, entertainment, food, and beverages, utilizing the entire facility. It was a little bit of a test run for us. Now, we’re hard at work at putting together a full schedule of events – 2019 will be our inaugural year. We are probably going to have close to two dozen events out there, this year.” “What we’re trying to do out there is to make Fox Pointe a premium venue for concerts and events here in Lansing and, hopefully, in the south LANS ING, I LL INOI S pictured right Village Administrator, Dan Podgorski