The Chicago Bears seem to be getting closer to a final plan on a new football stadium for the franchise. The Bears seem to be charging full-steam toward building a new facility in Chicago near the Soldier Field site, per ESPN. The team had been in talks to build a stadium outside of Chicago in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
“The plan will be to put a shovel in the ground on the lakefront,” Bears President Kevin Warren said, per ESPN.
The Bears and the new stadium saga
The team had thrown out many signals when it comes to building a new stadium. The village of Arlington Heights had been in talks with the team for months about building a new stadium there, and village leaders seemed to think it was a done deal. The team had purchased property in the area. Arlington Heights had put a package together that would build a new stadium around an area of new retail and hospitality businesses. The hope was that fans would have a destination to not only see a game, but also shop and have dining options.
“What the Village knows is that the Arlington Park property provides the Chicago Bears with the unique potential to own and build a multi-use development on 326 acres, in a key location that is easily accessible by public transportation, and is centrally located for visitors and season ticket holders,” Arlington Heights said in a statement earlier this month, per NBC Chicago.
It seems that a snag hit that plan, due to the amount of property taxes the Bears would have to pay outside of Chicago. While the village of Arlington Heights stated that it was willing to work with the Bears on figuring out a way to avoid high taxes, team executives seem to want to keep the Bears in city limits.
Lakefront issues in Chicago
The Bears and the city of Chicago have their own issues to work out, when it comes to a new stadium. The team has asked the state of Illinois for some financial help to raise the needed money to build a new facility. Specific details on how much money would be needed from public funds seems unclear at this time. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker has also seemed hesitant to use taxpayer money to help fund a new stadium, for either the Bears or White Sox.
Things seem like they may be moving toward a conclusion. The Bears are expected to release finalized plans and a timeline for the new stadium in the next several months, per 670 the Score. Bears fans are certainly interested in learning more, and hope the new stadium brings more success to the franchise. The Bears haven't played in the Super Bowl since the 2006 season. The team has won only one Super Bowl championship, in 1985.
The Bears play their home games at Soldier Field under a lease with the city’s park district that runs through 2033, per 670 the Score.
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