Orland Park revokes Sky Zone's business license after September incident
Indoor trampoline entertainment business has ability to appeal decision
By Jon DePaolis
ORLAND PARK, Ill. – The Village of Orland Park has revoked the business license of an indoor trampoline park after a September incident at the facility resulted in four arrests and claims of the business exceeding its fire code capacity limit.
The decision to revoke the license of Sky Zone Trampoline Park, located at 66 Orland Square Drive, was announced Friday, Dec. 18, in a press release sent out by the Village.
“After careful review and deliberation, the Village manager ordered that Sky Zone Orland Park’s business license be revoked pursuant to Section 7-1-16 of the Village Code,” the release stated. “Sky Zone may petition the Village for reinstatement of its business license 90 days after the effective date of the revocation and the business being closed.
“Sky Zone Orland Park has the right of appeal to the Village Board of Trustees. Such appeal shall be taken by filing with the Board of Trustees, within 10 days after notice of the revocation, a written statement under oath setting forth specifically the grounds for appeal. The Board of Trustees shall thereupon set the time and place for a hearing on such appeal.
“If a request for a hearing is not received within 10 days, the Village manager’s decision shall become final and the revocation shall become effective.”
In September, the Orland Park Police Department responded to an incident at the Sky Zone that led to four arrests and an observation by officers that the building occupancy had been exceeded. Initial reports were that as many as 800 children were outside of the facility at the time of the incident.
“We take very seriously the safety of residents and guest of Orland Park,” Orland Park Police Chief Joseph Mitchell stated in the press release sent out by the Village on Dec. 18. “The incident that occurred in September presented a clear and present danger to the health, safety and welfare of those present.”
The Village of Orland Park held hearings in late September and October to review the incident and heard testimony from a total of 12 witnesses, according to the press release.
“An entertainment business whose sole business model is to attract children into its indoor park is particularly responsible, because children at this young age are not able to protect themselves from harm,” Village Manager George Koczwara stated in the press release. “It is a nuisance in fact and a blatant disregard for the safety of these children for Sky Zone to first create a dangerous environment outside of the business (for them and for the first responders), then take their money and allow them to come into an overcrowded facility, abruptly close the facility down without notice due to safety concerns, have a floor plan that has obstacles to egress in the event of an emergency, close exiting staircases and create a stampede potential, usher them into a small tight part of the building all at the same time, and then summarily release 1,000 children into the dark night without following its own business evacuation plan to make sure the children are gathered outside safety and get a ride home.”