This new gaming lounge will soon be open on 103rd Street in Bridgeview. (Photo by Steve Metsch)
Video game arcade coming to Bridgeview
By Steve Metsch
A new video game and gaming network arcade will be opening in Bridgeview.
“A new business wants to create a place for people to play video games. This is not a gambling thing,” Trustee James Cecott told the board.
“This is just a video game (place) like you see on TV where the kids are playing,” Cecott said. “It’s just a place to hang out and, hopefully, not cause trouble.”
No alcohol will be permitted on the premises, he said.
The village board at its July 20 meeting approved a special use permit for Zaid Mutawi to operate the computer and video network gaming lounge with ancillary food service at 7536 W. 103rd St.
The Gamify Gaming Lounge is in the Bridgeview Community Plaza strip mall located at the northeast corner of 103rd Street and 76th Avenue near the courthouse. Signage is already in place.
“Hopefully, it will keep some of the kids off the streets,” Trustee Patricia Higginson said after the meeting.
Cecott said the location “is kind of peaceful and quiet.”
“I’m all for it if there’s no trouble,” Cecott said.
In other business, the board approved a zoning change to allow banquet halls in strip malls.
Mayor Steve Landek said that in the past, the village was reluctant to approved such requests often due to parking concerns.
“We’ve had some requests. As long as they have parking, it would be acceptable,” Landek said.
“Arab-American vendors want to have a banquet hall and they don’t serve liquor,” he added.
The village board next meets at 7 p.m. Aug. 3.
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