(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Despite a ban on billboards in Arlington Heights, the Chicago Bears are going to be allowed to keep using an electronic billboard along Route 53 for at least another year.
The billboard went up in 2017, when an exception was made for Arlington Racecourse. It’s been allowed to stay up even under the Chicago Bears
The Arlington Heights Village Board voted Tuesday night to give the Bears another one-year extension to keep an electronic billboard.
Trustee Wendy Dunnington was the only board member to vote against it.
“Since the racetrack is gone, I think it’s time for the billboard to be removed. In my opinion, billboards are an eyesore,” Dunnington said.
However, Mayor Tom Hayes says the billboard should be allowed since it’s along a highway where billboards are allowed in neighboring communities.
“I think it’s apples and oranges in terms of how you characterize billboards,” Hayes said.
Village manager Randall Recklaus made the recommendation to keep the billboard. He said the location of the sign along Route 53 puts it in a different situation than if it were in a commercial corridor, such as along Rand Road.
“It’s one of those areas that, kind of when you’re driving on 53, you really don’t know you’re in Arlington Heights and you see other billboards so this is something we felt was a unique circumstance,” Recklaus said.
The Village Board did get Bears representatives to agree to make repairs to the sign.
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok