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The Chicago Bears have one of the most iconic stadiums in the NFL with Soldier Field. However, that has not stopped the team from considering the possibility of building a new stadium somewhere else within the Chicagoland area. It seems that the team will not reconsider one plot of land that had been previously regarded as unsuitable for a new stadium.
The Bears are once again calling an audible on their new stadium plans, per Justin Laurence of Chicago Business. Their plan to push for a land deal in Springfield appears to have stalled out, which has caused the team to look into a different location.
The team has changed its position on the former Michael Reese Hospital site, a 49-acre property south of McCormick Place. This campus was previously labeled as unsuitable for a new venue. However, the Bears are now reportedly reconsidering the site. This is likely an effort to jump-start discussion with Illinois politicians once again to try and keep the team in Chicago proper.
Laurence reports that a possible venue on the Michael Reese campus would demand less money from tax payers. It would also fill an area of land that has been vacant for several years.
Further, this site would eliminate the need to battle with the Chicago Park District. The Bears have squabbled with local advocacy groups over all of their stadium proposals that would put the stadium on the waterfront of Lake Michigan. Since the Michael Reese campus is not within that area, it could become even easier to pitch to politicians and residents.
This proposed stadium location seems to have some chance of succeeding. It will be interesting to see what happens next in this saga.
Bears continue to struggle through new stadium plans
The Bears have previously wrestled with Illinois politicians about a number of stadium proposals over the past year.
Perhaps the team's most talked about proposal was a $5 billion proposal that the Bears pitched back in April. This proposal would have constructed a state-of-the-art domed stadium on the banks of Lake Michigan.
Unfortunately, there was significant pushback on this proposal. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker was quick to note that there was essentially no chance that the state government would discuss the proposal until 2025 at the earliest.
The Bears have also considered moving to different suburbs within the Chicagoland area to try and pressure lawmakers into passing a proposal within Chicago city limits.
For the time being, the Bears will have to make do with good old Soldier Field.
