March 28, 2024
Local News

Slammers Fest moved to Tinley Park

Concert moved because of potential impact on turf, but Slammers still plan concerts: officials

An Aug. 10 concert that had been slated for DuPage Medical Group Field has been moved to Tinley Park.

The event, called Slammers Fest, has been moved out of concern about the potential impact on the turf at the Joliet stadium, said John Wilson, vice president of sales and marketing for the Slammers, the baseball team that manages the stadium for the city.

“At the end of the day, that turf is too big an investment to tear up,” Wilson said. “We want to do events in the future.”

The artificial turf was installed in 2018 in large part to allow more events at the stadium.

Wilson said the Slammers still plan to schedule concerts.

Staging a concert on a baseball field, even one with artificial turf, requires certain measures being taken to protect the field, Wilson said. Concerns arose as to whether the field could be protected with the heavy equipment being used to bring in the staging.

“We collectively got worried that it would damage the field,” Slammers owner Nick Semaca said.

People who bought tickets are getting refunds, and the concert now will be free at 350 Soundstage in the Tinley Park Convention Center, Wilson said. The concert features Everclear, Bowling for Soup, Alien Ant Farm, Lights Over Bridgeport and other bands. The 350 Brewing Co. in Tinley Park was a co-sponsor of the concert with the Slammers and was organizing the concert. The Slammers were providing the venue.

Semaca said refunds “would have been a big sticking point for us because some [Slammers] fans wanted to see a show in Joliet. They wanted to see a show in our stadium.”

Bob Okon

Bob Okon

Bob Okon covers local government for The Herald-News