The Joliet City Council has signed off on Joliet Catholic Academy’s plan to expand its campus with a new athletic complex that will eventually include a multi-purpose stadium. The 6-3 vote follows months of neighborhood pushback over traffic and noise, along with a recommendation from the city’s Plan Commission. School leaders say the project would add a synthetic turf field, new courts, and more parking on land north of the current Larkin Avenue campus, with the first phase potentially starting in spring 2026 if permits and fundraising stay on track.
Council splits 6-3 on final approval
On Tuesday, the City Council approved the Planned Unit Development application on a 6-3 vote, with Mayor Terry D’Arcy and five council members in favor and Jan Quillman, Larry Hug, and Juan Moreno opposed, according to Patch. The decision followed a unanimous 5-0 recommendation from the Joliet Plan Commission in November and capped months of public hearings and neighborhood meetings.
What the campus plan would build
The approved PUD spells out a multi-purpose synthetic turf field lined for football and soccer, fixed seating for about 5,500 spectators with standing-room capacity nearing 7,000, and an eight-lane track. It also calls for renovated baseball and softball fields, plus new tennis and pickleball courts. The application proposes adding roughly 350 parking spaces to the campus’s existing 481 spots, according to a staff memo presented to the Plan Commission, as reported by The Herald-News.
Neighbors say traffic plans fall short
Nearby residents told the city that the traffic analysis underestimates congestion at school dismissal and on game nights and warned that the extra attendees could spill onto neighborhood streets. “Ingalls and Wyoming are our exits out of the neighborhood,” resident Jori Gura said in comments reported by The Herald-News. JCA has proposed traffic controls for major events, including barricading some local streets and arranging off-site parking, but neighbors say the details and enforcement remain unclear. Opponents argued that the council and city staff need a firmer plan to protect residential access and emergency routes before large events begin.
Money, timeline, and fundraising
JCA says it has raised more than $12.5 million in private gifts and recently received a $6.08 million estate gift that strengthens its $20 million Legacy Campaign, which lists land acquisition, parking, and the athletic stadium among its priorities, according to Joliet Catholic Academy. The academy’s campaign materials state that Phase I, which includes installing field turf along with some courts and parking, could begin in spring 2026, with the stadium structure coming later as fundraising continues.
Games will continue at Memorial Stadium for now
The on-campus facility is planned to host four to eight varsity football games a year once it is built, but JCA will continue to play its home football schedule at the Joliet Park District’s Memorial Stadium while construction and fundraising proceed, according to Patch. City officials said the PUD gives Joliet review and permitting tools to require traffic and parking plans for major events, while school leaders describe the stadium as a long-term investment in competitiveness and the student experience.
What the residents and the school say next
Video coverage and reporting showed neighbors packing the council chambers and stressing potential quality-of-life impacts, with some residents signaling they may continue to push for stricter limits on event traffic and timing, according to CBS News Chicago. School officials say they plan to continue outreach and will move forward with permit applications and the next fundraising steps as they prepare for construction activity targeted for 2026.
