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Proposed "Champions Point" museum at Michael Jordan estate divides Highland Park council and neighbors; council agrees to further study
Summary
Owner John Cooper asked the council to initiate a zoning text amendment to allow a tourist/museum use at 2700 Point Lane. He proposed shuttle access via Heller Nature Center, estimated about 300 daily visitors in summer, and pledged limited community-use days; neighbors raised traffic, safety and environmental concerns. Council voted to continue study and consider referral for formal hearings.
John Cooper, owner of the property at 2700 Point Lane (the former Michael Jordan estate), asked the Committee of the Whole to initiate consideration of a zoning-text amendment that would allow a new conditional use: a single‑family property operated as a tourist destination offering public tours and on‑site amenities.
Cooper told the council his plan, called Champions Point, would partner with a nonprofit (Champions Legacy) to develop a free curriculum for local schools and offer the property several days per month to youth and park-district programs. Cooper described the core operation as a for‑profit museum, saying the community benefit would amount to roughly 48 days per year (about 13% of the calendar if the house were open every day), with the remainder of days available commercially. He proposed off-site parking 5–10 minutes away with shuttles to the Heller Nature Center every 15 minutes and a short trail extension of roughly 120 feet to connect the property.
Council members questioned multiple elements of the proposal: precedent from changing the zoning code, likely impacts to the adjacent Heller Nature Center and its trails, environmental effects of creating a new trail extension, traffic and parking implications for surrounding residential streets, and how much of the operation would be charitable versus commercial. Staff and Cooper said no signed agreement exists with the Park District; Cooper said he has had exploratory conversations and would commission traffic, environmental and economic‑impact studies if the council allows the process to move forward.
Many neighbors spoke in opposition during an extended public-comment period. Several described prior private events at the property this year that they said produced noise and required police attention, reported contentious private communications with the owner, and warned that shuttles routing patrons through the Heller Nature Center and hundreds of visitors per day would disrupt residential life and the preserve. One neighbor summarized the block’s position: "No commercialization of any kind," a speaker said during public comment. Supporters argued the site could provide rare educational benefits for students and economic gains for the city and park district.
Corporation counsel and staff explained the procedural path: if council directs initiation, the city would place a text-amendment request on the Plan and Design Commission agenda (and the council could include constraints in the amendment language, for example minimum lot size thresholds). Council members were split, but a majority indicated they wanted to continue the conversation and to send the matter forward for further study and public hearings with Park District participation; the mayor noted he personally opposed the change but that "the majority rules." The council asked staff to notify interested residents when the item is placed on a future public council agenda.
What’s next: The council did not approve any zoning change tonight. Staff will return the item to a future public council meeting and—if the council directs—refer a text amendment and concurrent special-use petition to the Plan and Design Commission for formal hearings and studies (traffic, environmental, economic).
