As the Northwestern University Wildcats took to the field in their highly anticipated new Evanston stadium Friday, nearby residents were mostly excited to welcome back the lively atmosphere that comes with a college football game.
But some aren't extending that same energy to concerts and other events the city wants to host there.
The new $875 million, 35,000-seat Ryan Field sits on the same site where the team played from its construction in 1926 until its demolition in early 2024. The area is heavily residential, with single-family homes surrounding the stadium. On game days, neighbors gather for barbecues and tailgates, and some of the players even live across the street.
Northwestern football and the fanfare that comes with it have become part of the neighborhood's culture and defined its vibe.
"We go to the games all the time, and our neighborhood always tailgates, and we have stuff going on," said Nicole Wroblewski, who has lived less than a block from Ryan Field for seven years. "Our neighborhood kind of rallies together, and it's pretty exciting."
Residents say they're used to the hustle and bustle that accompanies living near a football stadium, but they didn't sign up to live near a concert venue. Evanston city officials want the ability to host concerts and other commercial events, which has some residents raising their eyebrows.
The nonprofit group the Most Livable City Association, along with residents, filed a lawsuit against the city when plans were first announced in 2023, arguing the "commercialization" of the site would cause issues with noise, pollution and traffic. That lawsuit is still working its way through the appellate court system.
"When they're using it for their own activities, that's been going on for years, and that's fine," said Andrew Berman, retired Cook County judge and president of the Most Livable City Association. "But when they decide they're going to run it as a giant commercial venture, and escape paying property taxes like other commercial and residential properties pay, that's what we find really objectionable."
At the time, Northwestern had argued revenue from the concerts would help pay for the stadium, and supporters of the plan say the university’s agreement with the city will funnel an estimated $157.5 million from Northwestern to local schools and community causes over 15 years.
Friday night's game, in which Northwestern trounced Penn State 34-13, went smoothly, Berman said. The noise wasn't disruptive, and the traffic was well-managed. He welcomed the addition of residential parking signs to keep fans from taking residents' parking spots.
For Jack Oyola, a defensive back in his fifth season at Northwestern who lives across the street from the stadium, the new setup was a welcome one. Oyola played at the old Ryan Field and the temporary lakefront facility.
He was on the fence about coming back for another season, he said, but the idea of playing in the long-awaited stadium helped sway his decision. Seeing the student section and other student athletes at the game Friday night affirmed his choice.
"This was definitely something that influenced my decision, so it's been awesome," he said. "It's a blessing."
The fan experience was much better inside the stadium, too, said Oyola's parents Maureen and Christian. The old stadium had grown worn down, they said, and the new one is not only much more comfortable, but the energy is more on par with college football heavy hitters like the University of Georgia, near where the Oyolas hail from.
"The [Southeastern Conference] gets that kind of experience every weekend, but for these boys to get that same type of energetic, loud, exciting atmosphere was priceless," Christian Oyola said. "
Though many nearby residents are invested in Northwestern football, some have no connection to it at all. Faraz Hedayati moved into a house down the block from the stadium about six months ago and said he was sleeping during the game. The noise, especially from the F-16 flyover, was enough to wake him up, but he's trying not to worry too much about it, he said.
"I'm not gonna lose the sleep over it, but I prefer a more peaceful environment," Hedayati said.
As for the potential of concerts and other commercial events in the stadium, Hedayati said it's nice to see young people having fun in the area, and Jack Oyola said it could energize the city more when the football team isn't playing.
"I think it's going to make the area a lot more lively," he said. "I think it's great for the college kids here. But again, I am a college kid, so I'm a little biased."
But for others, like Wroblewski, who grew up in Evanston, the possibility of bringing concerts comes with a lot of questions.
"How is this going to really affect the noise level here? Is it going to still be a quiet neighborhood? Who's going to be coming? You know, we just had a lot of concerns around that," Wroblewski said.
