Village moves forward as Sportsman’s Club lease nears end

By Andrea Arens

The future of the Peotone Sportsman’s Club property remains uncertain as village officials prepare for the expiration of the club’s lease on the village-owned parcel in March 2026.

At the February 9 Peotone Village Board meeting in which Trustee Patrick Bowden was absent, trustees discussed next steps for the property, confirming that the village does not intend to renew the current lease agreement with the Sportsman’s Club. The lease is set to expire March 22, 2026.

Village Administrator Nick Palmer said the village previously notified the club in writing that there was no board support for extending the lease and noted that the club did not contact the village to renegotiate during the required notice period.

“We have to have a plan going forward because the time is running short on this,” Mayor Chris Vieaux said during the meeting.

Long-standing concerns

Questions surrounding the Sportsman’s Club have persisted for several years. Discussions of squatters had popped up on social media as the property appeared to be inhabited by full time residents with their personal belongings and animals.

In June of 2025, the club’s caretakers and residents presented village administration with a signed lease copy that the village did not have on file. The lease had reportedly been signed by club officers March 31, 2021, shortly after the ordinance approving it was executed.

Last year, concerns were raised about the club’s leadership structure, membership records, and how the property was being used.

Former members had reportedly left the organization amid disagreements with current leadership. Public debate over the use of the property had ensued on social. The clubhouse — once used for community events like pancake breakfasts, fishing tournaments, and parties — was instead being used as a residence, with an RV parked on the property, garden barrels set up near the former horseshoe pits, and animals kept on site.

Mayor Chris Vieaux previously said the property appeared maintained but was no longer serving its original community-focused purpose.

Trustee Nick Strba also expressed opposition to renewing the lease unless the site returned to its former role as a community gathering place, saying he wanted to see the clubhouse restored, animals removed, and a functioning board established. The board unanimously voted to not renew the lease last year.

Property and utility questions

During the February 9, 2026 meeting, trustees focused largely on logistical and legal issues tied to ending the lease.

The Sportsman’s Club and the Village of Peotone own separate parcels within the overall property, both under Will County jurisdiction and zoned agricultural. Village officials discussed commissioning a survey to confirm property lines, driveway access, and pond locations.

Utility service to the property is also being reviewed. Board members discussed whether a well located on village property supplies water to both parcels and how electrical service is configured.

“If we’re the source for their parcel for water, then we probably have to allow them time to establish their own service,” Palmer said.

Officials said determining those details will be part of closing out the lease properly.

Future use of the site

Board members indicated interest in keeping the village parcel rather than selling it, noting the property is used for public works access and police training.

”To sell the property, we use the south end and public works stores things and there’s a shooting range for police training. I’d hate to lose that,” said Trustee Todd Sandberg.

Public Works manager Robert Hennke confirmed that the power lines run across the street and service both properties and added that a survey may detail that the property line between the parcels may divide the driveway.

Continued speculation on the possibility of entrances or widening the driveway was discussed along with a unanimous consensus to pursue the survey first.

Trustees discussed potentially leasing the property to a new group or organization and possibly issuing a public request for proposals to gather ideas for future use. Some suggested restoring the site as a community recreation space similar to the Sportsman’s Club’s earlier years.

Village staff plan to:

• Work with legal counsel to complete the lease termination process
• Conduct a survey of the property
• Document structures and improvements on the village parcel
• Investigate utility connections
• Explore interest from potential future partners

“I just see it as a place where residents can go and enjoy themselves outdoors with their kids,” Trustee Nick Strba said during discussion.

For now, the village is preparing for the transition once the lease officially ends, while the long-term future of the Sportsman’s Club property remains undecided.