Should Chicago have a new venue for festivals and concerts?

City voters can offer their opinion on building a permanent space for big events.

Chicago voters have a chance to say whether they favor a new festival and event space in the city.

The ballot question is “Should Chicago develop a permanent festival and outdoor event space for large-scale events?”

As a non-binding question, it will tell the city what voters think but will not compel any action.

The ballot question does not say where a permanent space would be, how much it would cost or who would pay for it. It also does not spell out which events would move there.

Ald. Nicole Lee, 11th, sponsored the question, which comes as Chicago continues to debate how to host major events while keeping parks open for people who use them throughout the year. Grant Park regularly closes for festivals such as Lollapalooza.

Setup and cleanup can extend closures beyond the festival itself, limiting access to fields, walking paths and other public spaces. A permanent festival space could keep large events in the city without taking over neighborhood parks.

Some may prefer the way Chicago hosts events now. They may see temporary park closures as a fair tradeoff for the concerts and festivals in Grant Park and other spaces.

Others may believe the city can address complaints by changing event schedules or permit rules, without developing a new venue. Keeping the current approach also would allow festivals to continue using familiar locations.

Chicagoans can click here to order a ballot.