Picking a prom venue is never easy. Students want one thing and administration wants another and someone is always disappointed. Everyone wants to go downtown on a boat until the space is cramped and the food is subpar. Everyone wants to go to a restaurant until the dining rooms and bowling alley does not fit students’ formality standards. This year, Glenbard South’s prom committee seemed to find the perfect mix of elegance and amusement at The Matrix in Naperville, an event venue just under 30 minutes from campus. The Matrix ownership described their venue in an interview with WGN as follows: “After investing over $16 million to transform a defunct Sam’s Club space into Naperville’s premier multicultural event destination, the club proudly hosted weddings, concerts, galas, corporate gatherings and several artistic events that enriched the city of Naperville.” The venue was booked months in advance, and students seemed to be excited about the classic evening to come.
The Matrix Naperville announced on Feb 13, 2026 that it had been served an eviction notice by the landlord as a result of failure to make lease payments. The owners allegedly stopped paying rent in fall 2024, just a year after its delayed grand opening in September 2023. The landlord filed a lawsuit and went through the motions of a successful judges hearing. A notice was taped to the facility door which read, “In connection with the eviction currently in process, limited access to the premises will be granted solely for the purpose of retrieving any remaining personal property.” The Chicago Tribune reported that the venue suffered extensive vandalism after the eviction, including damaged walls, broken glass and shattered televisions. The sudden closure left countless customers who had previously booked the venue for school dances, concerts and even weddings, completely out of luck. Some even lost down payments totaling over $6,000. The building is in the works of being redeveloped with a “similar concept,” but under the name “Aura Club & Conventions.”
Glenbard South administration scrambled swiftly to find a sufficient venue as a replacement, with just over three months notice. Shortly thereafter, it was announced to the student body that prom will be held at The Westin Hotel in Lombard’s Grand Ballroom, which should prove to be a polished space. It frequently hosts weddings and work banquets. While a hotel may seem like an undesirable location for some picky prom-goers, it is important to remember that the place is only as good as the people in it, and this is far better than hosting our senior prom in the school cafeteria.
