Orland Park mall loses AMC, but mayor upbeat about other development
By JON DEPAOLIS, Publisher
ORLAND PARK, Ill. — Moviegoers will not be enjoying summer blockbusters at the Orland Square Mall after all.
Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau announced Monday, June 7, at the Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees meeting that AMC had abandoned its plans for constructing a 10-screen theater at the site of the former Sears located at the mall.
“In the effort to be transparent, I’m going to share some bad news that we received regarding AMC,” Pekau said during his comments to the Village Board. “Many of you are aware that they issued more stock last week to fund their new strategy of acquiring distressed properties. I was a little bit concerned when I heard that, because that strategy doesn’t sound like building new. It sounds like buying existing.”
Pekau said the Village was informed that AMC’s change in strategy “did result in them pulling out of their lease” with Seritage Growth Properties, which owns the former Sears space. He also said he felt part of the reason the project did not come to fruition was because of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It was halted because of COVID,” Pekau said. “We lost this because of COVID. Stuff happens. We will go back to the drawing board and work with Seritage and Simon Property Group to reimagine that space. They both are already working on that.”
But the mayor was able to find some positives in the situation, including that he felt it was not likely that the Village would have been able to attract Von Maur to the mall had it not been for AMC’s initial interest in the Sears property.
“We did manage to land Von Maur,” Pekau said. “It’s just unfortunate that COVID hit like it did. We knew it was a risk. Everyone has seen what is happening with movie theaters. So, unfortunately, that is a COVID casualty.”
Pekau also found other positives to the news.
“Interior construction that was started handled the asbestos [problem at the site] but didn’t do anything else,” he said. “So, we don’t have a movie theater that’s half-built that we have to deal with.”
Pekau also said the Village recently received positive development news, with properties on the ring road of the mall and the Main Street Triangle project – as well as a final restaurant signing on to be located at the site of the former Toys R Us.
“We will make the specifics known as soon as we are able to, but it is important [to note] that at the end of June, there will be a meeting for the public on the Triangle site,” Pekau said.
That meeting will be held at the Civic Center and will allow the public to give input. Pekau encouraged residents to attend to give feedback to Edwards Realty Company.
“They need to hear what our residents have to say,” he said.