The Tinley Park Village Board appointed nearly 100 people to new positions and commissions Tuesday, including naming James Poortinga as deputy police chief and longtime patrol officer Gregory King as emergency planning manager.
The Village Board also approved a liquor license for a restaurant in the building adjacent to the village’s sports dome development and discussed a license for a new business at Harmony Square, New Bremen Trading Post.
Michael Coleman, director of community development, said the inflation of the sports dome was set to begin Thursday, and the project should be completed by November.
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Deputy chief
Poortinga was a police commander after joining Tinley Park police in 2025, after working for 27 years for the Illinois State Police.
“I didn’t think I’d be here so soon,” he said Tuesday.
“Policing in this town is a little different than what I’m used to. It’s a little dynamic. It really is, so your assistance has been phenomenal,” he told village officials.
Poortinga said his goal is to support the Police Department and ensure the detectives, officers and other staff have everything they need to protect the people of Tinley Park.
Brian McDermott and Keith Sullivan are also listed as deputy police chiefs on the Tinley Park website, but Poortinga said Tuesday Sullivan has left.
Sports dome
The village approved a liquor license for The Clubhouse Pizzeria Bar and Grill planned at 7600 W. 191st St. as part of the village’s sports dome development off of Interstate 80 and west of the Brookside Marketplace shopping center.
The project includes a 142,000-square-foot dome and a building that could house stores and restaurants on property where a 9-hole golf course once operated. The building would include the pizzeria. Construction began in January.
Coleman said inflation of the dome could take eight to ten days, after which electrical and interior aspects would be added. He said the structural foundation of the dome has been completed.
He said the dome inflation was delayed because the developers wanted to get the main building up first so that the dome and building could be completed about the same time, and the entire facility could open simultaneously.
Harmony Square
The village moved forward a business license for New Bremen Trading Post, which is set to be located in an 1,100 square foot space at 17315 through 17317 Oak Park Avenue, in the same building as the Harmony Square stage.
The business would be a retail store selling seasonal snacks, beverages and merchandise focusing on Tinley Park, said Carolyn Mitera, Tinley Park marketing and economic development specialist.
The preliminary approval includes a liquor license to allow alcohol to be purchased and consumed on Harmony Square property. The hours of consumption was set to depend on special event permits.
Mitera said contract negotiations are still under review, and the village intends to vote on the business license and liquor license at the Village Board meeting on June 16.