MUSEUM CAMPUS — The Chicago Bears are set to unveil plans to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights next week.
According to a statement shared by village officials, the team will present a conceptual plan for Arlington Heights Stadium at 1900 E. Thomas Street, John Hershey High School in the Northwest Suburbs on Sept. 8 from 7-9 p.m. do.
Team leaders said the “stadium-backed, transit-oriented, mixed-use entertainment district” at the now-closed Arlington Park Racecourse would be “one of the largest development projects in the history of Illinois.” Told.
Meetings are on a first-come, first-served basis until the venue is full. Doors open on September 8th at 5:30pm.
Next week’s meeting aims to unveil plans and ask questions on the ground. A separate approval track by the board of suburban villages must be followed.
The announcement is the latest twist in the ongoing stadium drama between the Bears and the city of Chicago. It’s a story that dates back to his ’70s when the team first threatened to leave Soldier Field for Arlington Heights.
The city and the Bears rebuilt Soldier Field in 2002, but it remains the NFL’s smallest stadium. And the Bears are tenants in the Chicago Park District. That means paying rent and splitting much of the revenue stream.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot tried to persuade the team to stay by offering to build a dome over the stadium, but many say there is little chance of keeping the team within city limits. Considered Hail Mary.
Lightfoot’s office told the Tribune that the mayor made a “compelling case” for the Bears to stay in Chicago.
“The city will continue to advocate to the Bears, the NFL and the public that revitalizing Soldier Field makes the most economic sense,” spokesman Kate Luffersey said in a statement to the Tribune. ‘ said.
The Bears’ latest dance at Arlington Heights spanned several years, including an announcement in June 2021 to bid for the sprawling 326-acre site that houses the now-closed Arlington Park Racecourse. increase.
Churchill Downs sold the historic track and surrounding properties in February 2021 and ceased racing operations at the end of last season. The racetrack he rebuilt after a fire in 1985 and was long considered one of the best racetracks in the country.
The Bears announced that they had signed a purchase agreement in September 2021, but that deal has been dragging out for about a year.
When the Bears first announced they would enter the tender, Lightfoot dismissed it as “apparently a negotiation tactic the Bears had used earlier.” And then she swiped and said: Anything else is just noise. “
The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field, the NFL’s smallest stadium at 61,500 seats, expires in 2033. The Bears will pay rent in the Chicago Park District for Soldier Field, split the income, and have little chance of expansion. A move to the new site would represent a potentially multi-billion-dollar Bears-owned complex and is expected to create a flood of new revenue streams for the team. No details have been disclosed about
The Bears moved to Chicago Park District-owned Soldier Field in 1971, but threatened to move to Arlington Heights a few years later. Then-Mayor Richard J. Daley threatened lawsuits to stop them calling themselves the Chicago Bears if they moved. His son, Mayor Richard M. Daly, also had tense negotiations over the years with the team, who threatened to move to Gary, Indiana in 1995.
The Bears have leased Soldier Field through 2033, but could break the lease in 2026 by paying the city an $84 million penalty, the Tribune reports. That price tag will come down in the future.
It’s not unheard of for big city teams to choose more space in the suburbs. The New York Giants and New York Jets moved to New Jersey decades ago. The San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington football teams also play outside their namesake city.
Lightfoot enlisted a committee of civic leaders to come up with a new version of Soldier Field and the surrounding museum campus in hopes of keeping the Bears in town or having a backup plan in case the Bears run amok. was established.
In late July, she announced plans to build a dome over Soldier Field. This was her $2.2 billion dome proposal, one of her three options for improving the stadium as part of a grand plan to overhaul her campus at Lakeside Museum. Other options are to make the stadium “dome-ready” for future construction or, if the Bears are bolting to the suburbs, modernize it without a dome, making it a better stadium for the Chicago Fire.
She said at the time that she had “ongoing discussions” with the Bears and the NFL, and believed the team would take the Dome’s proposal seriously.
“It would be silly not to,” said the mayor.
credit: city of chicagoAnd if they left town, Lightfoot didn’t rule out the possibility of trying to lure another NFL team to Chicago. , Lightfoot smiled slightly and said: There are many cities that have two he NFL teams. “
If a dome was built, it would significantly modernize the facility, enclosing the field and making it available year-round. , the climate is controlled.
The Dome Project will boost capacity from the current NFL low of 61,500 to 70,000. Seven suites will be added for a total of 140, plus six new clubs and quadruple the food and beverage space. .
“The improved Soldier Field will provide a world-class visitor experience,” said Lightfoot. “Additionally, any of these proposed improvements will allow Soldier Field to maintain its role as Chicago’s economic engine for years to come. Because we can continue to bring it to our city.”
credit: city of chicagoThe dome project was designed by Robert Dunn, who is known for developing stadiums for NFL teams such as the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. He is also president of Landmark Development. Landmark Development is the group behind the potential $20 billion Wan He Central Development, which has proposed flying over the tracks just west of Soldier Field.
Dunn said the Dome project would be a much cheaper alternative for the Bears than packing up and heading to Arlington Heights.
Lightfoot has vowed to “do anything” to keep the Bears in Chicago, and previously said the city would make “a very compelling economic reason” for the team to stay at Soldier Field. rice field.
Lightfoot and her representatives did not disclose details of the Dome’s financing plan, but said it could include NFL funding, naming rights earnings and debt. Of course,” he said, involving taxpayer money.
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