Orland Park to break ground on downtown entertainment district; village approved inducement for Dick's House of Sports

Orland Park announced a major step in downtown redevelopment and a new retail anchor for the mall this week.

"They're putting a new concept, their Dick's House of Sports," Mayor Keith Peacock said, announcing the village approved an inducement agreement for DICK'S Sporting Goods to relocate into the former Sears site and deploy a larger, experiential format.

Peacock said the village will break ground on the proposed Entertainment District (the Triangle/downtown redevelopment) on March 27 and expects the district — anchored by Heroes Park and more than 140,000 square feet of commercial space for restaurants, retail and entertainment — to open by the end of 2026 if construction proceeds "as smoothly as we plan."

Why it matters: The redevelopment project resolves a long‑standing, multi‑year effort to remake the village's downtown site, which the mayor said previously caused substantial losses and stalled projects. Peacock said the House of Sports concept typically increases mall traffic and will help fill large vacant anchor space.

Key project details

- Dick's House of Sports: The company is expected to move from its current Orland Park location into the former Sears building; Peacock noted the larger format has increased traffic at other malls and said the inducement agreement was approved by the village "on Monday." Vote details were not specified in the transcript.

- Entertainment District/TIF: Peacock said a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district was created starting in October (year not specified in the transcript) to support redevelopment. The plan emphasizes no new residential units in the core project and places Heroes Park as the centerpiece, featuring a plaza for markets, concerts and a seasonal ice rink. Jefferson Street is planned as a pedestrian‑only dining street between primary parcels.

- Timeline and tenants: Peacock said he expects construction to start March 27 and full opening by the end of 2026 if the schedule holds. He said the village will announce some tenants as negotiations finish; specific tenants beyond Dick's were not named.

Background and financing context

Peacock addressed prior setbacks at the Triangle site, saying the village lost tens of millions of dollars on earlier efforts and that prior development agreements (Structure Development, Edwards Realty, and a developer right of first refusal involving Sterling Collins) delayed progress during the COVID era. He described the village's decision‑making history but said the focus is now on moving forward.

Ending

Peacock called the redevelopment "a project we've been waiting now for 25 years" and said residents should see visible construction soon. He asked for patience and expressed optimism that new retail and entertainment uses will drive local economic activity and jobs.