Mayor sides against The Lot as City event venue

If discussions at the Highland Park City Council’s Monday Committee of the Whole meeting were any indication, the days of city-sponsored events at The Lot are likely over.

Councilmembers were given a presentation by city staff at the Aug. 26 meeting and asked three questions: Should the city continue to host large- and medium-sized events downtown in 2025? Should they be held at The Lot or Port Clinton Square? And should any small infrastructure improvements be made to either or both?

A divided council expressed 4-3 that they do not want to see Highland Park host large- and medium-sized events at The Lot.

Located at Central and St. Johns, The Lot is a makeshift downtown venue that has hosted numerous events — such as Taste of Highland Park and Oktoberfest (Sept. 28) — since it was established in 2022.

Monday’s discussions do not apply to private entities that would like to host an event at a specific location.

Mayor states opposition

For the first time in the year-long discussion, Mayor Nancy Rotering shared her thoughts publicly on The Lot, joining Councilmembers Anthony Blumberg, Kim Stone and Yumi Ross in opposing the venue as a location for future city-sponsored events.

Rotering said one of the reasons she opposed using The Lot is because of the city’s recent investments in the downtown area.

“To me, it seems like we have spent millions of dollars building out the central business district, and why wouldn’t we encourage people to come in?” she said.

She also referred to the costs of improvements to The Lot as “exorbitant.”

“I wanted to love (The Lot) and I recognize that there are ways that we can make it more friendly,” Rotering said. “But to me, it was so hard because you had entertainment at one end, it was so narrow. … I would love to see that kind of activity in the Port Clinton, Central Street area.”

She suggested seeking a long-term lease with Port Clinton to build out space for public bathrooms and renting out space for storage.

Blumberg, Stone and Ross, who previously shared their opposition to developing The Lot at a May Committee of the Whole meeting, reiterated their stance on Monday.

“Let’s get The Lot back reopened to cars so people have a place to park,” Stone said.

Blumberg echoed Rotering’s comments about preferring to see events held downtown.

“I think there are other things that can be done with that parking lot that might be beneficial that have nothing to do with holding events there,” he said.

Councilmembers Andrés Tapia, who participated via telephone, and Annette Lidawer continued to support using The Lot for events.

Lidawer suggested pursuing grants to add green space, saying the idea “to reclaim that as green, to add furniture, is just a wonderful use, and then it also gives us a large area that does not require a lot of infrastructure.”

Councilmember Barisa Bruckman didn’t share a strong opinion toward The Lot but said she’d like to see both it and Port Clinton used in a “hybrid” format.

City Manager Ghida Neukirch said her staff will now work to find new locations for larger, City-backed events, such as the Taste of Highland Park, for 2025.

Councilmembers support larger events

While The Lot didn’t get the support from a majority of the council, most said they would like to see Highland Park sponsor larger- and medium-scale events.

Neukirch said larger-scale events would include car shows while mid-sized would include concerts.

Rotering said larger events increase the city’s “vibrancy” while Tapia, Bruckman and Lidawer said Highland Park should be attracting people from surrounding communities.

Ross said she was fine with larger events, but also said it depends on where it’s being held.

“I’d rather have a smaller space that’s really well-attended and looking hopping than a large space that looks desolate,” she said.

Stone said she doesn’t believe the City should be responsible for event planning, while Blumberg said he believes there are enough private events to support the city without them sponsoring any more.

“My preference is to develop a desire of residents to want to hang out in their downtown, in their own home, and to spend money on our own stores and to go to our own places and hang out in our parks,” Blumberg said. 

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