Orland Park has set a Sept. 30 hearing for the possible revocation of the business license of Sky Zone Trampoline Park following a recent disturbance there.
The business, 66 Orland Square Drive, just east of Orland Square mall, was cited for reckless conduct and a fire code occupancy violation following the Sept. 12 incident.
Village Manager George Koczwara will act as the hearing officer, with the village’s municipal prosecutor presenting Orland Park’s argument for pulling Sky Zone’s license, according to Koczwara.
The manager will be advised during the hearing by Dennis Walsh, the village attorney, and Koczwara will, at some point issue a written decision. A ruling can be appealed to the Village Board.
Sky Zone will be allowed to have legal representation at the hearing, and aggravating and mitigating factors for or against revoking the license will be heard, Walsh said.
Police had responded to Sky Zone for a report of a fight among three youths inside the building.
Sky Zone was hosting a lock-in, according to the village, and when police arrived they found hundreds of young people in attendance. Mayor Keith Pekau said the number was a bit more than 840.
Three youths were cited under village ordinance for disorderly conduct, according to police Chief Joe Mitchell. Nobody was injured, he said.
Orland Park police requested help from neighboring departments primarily for crowd control as the youths, ranging in age from 10 to 17, were herded into the parking lot and told to arrange for rides home, he said.
Reports on social media had portrayed the incident as something approaching a melee, which wasn’t the case, Mitchell said. A call for an ambulance in neighboring Orland Hills at about the same time as the Sky Zone incident fueled, in part, rumors of a larger fracas, and there was no use of force by police in controlling the crowd, he said.
Orland Park denied a public records request by the Daily Southtown seeking copies of police reports related to the incident. The village cited the state’s Juvenile Court Act, which mandates that reports in which a minor was arrested, charged or investigated are exempt from disclosure under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
Sky Zone ownership did not respond to messages seeking comment.