Chicago Bears say 'singular focus' is on suburban Arlington Park site for new stadium

[Hamartia Antidote]

Bears: 'Singular focus' is on Arlington Park site

The Bears are moving forward with their plan to eventually leave Soldier Field and build a new stadium in the suburbs of Chicago on the 326-acre Arlington Park site.

www.espn.com

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- While still in the early stages of development, the Chicago Bears are moving forward with their plan to eventually leave Soldier Field and build a new stadium in the northwest suburbs of Chicago on the 326-acre Arlington Park site.

"Right now, we don't have a Plan B," Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips said Thursday. "Our singular focus is on this property."

The Bears hosted a two-hour community meeting for Arlington Heights-area residents on Thursday to discuss their conceptual plans for developing the former site of the Arlington International Racecourse, which closed last year after hosting thoroughbred racing for 94 years. The team has been under contract on the property since September 2021, when it signed a $197.2 million purchase and sale agreement.

A potential stadium has not yet been designed, according to Phillips, but will be an "enclosed" structure with an expected capacity that exceeds Soldier Field's league-low 61,500 seats.

"We're not anticipating a retractable dome," Phillips said. "Often times what we've seen with retractable domes is [that] the costs are prohibitive, the return isn't there, there's mechanical issues."

Phillips added: "Hopefully it can attract major events like the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, concerts, the Final Four. We don't have a facility like that now."

Phillips was met with applause when he stated that the team would not be discussing any alternative sites to build a stadium, nor would it be considering renovations of Soldier Field.

Bears chairman George McCaskey told a half-full gymnasium at John Hersey High School that the entire project could take more than 10 years to complete and that a new stadium would make up less than half of the development, which would include restaurants, retail and office space, housing, a hotel, fitness center, new parks, ponds and open areas.

"My family and I are not real estate developers," McCaskey said. "We are not financiers. We are privileged to own a beloved football team that is an important community asset. We take that responsibility to heart. It is our life's passion. We do recognize what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

McCaskey said the Bears will "seek no public funding for direct stadium structure construction" but would need assistance in order to complete the rest of the multibillion-dollar project. The necessary infrastructure, like roads and sewers, is what the Bears will need taxpayer help with or "will not be able to move forward" with the project, according to McCaskey.

In fielding questions from attendees, Phillips clarified that no buildings on the Arlington Park site will be constructed with public funds.

"We're not asking for property taxes to be raised in Arlington Heights to fund the stadium construction," McCaskey said. "It's not our part to say that property taxes for Arlington Heights residents won't go up, but that might be for reasons that have nothing to do with this construction."

McCaskey said the Bears were not actively looking for a property to develop when Arlington Park became available. Churchill Downs Inc., which owned the land, reached out to the Bears to gauge the team's interest. McCaskey said the organization, under his grandfather George Halas' leadership, tried previously to purchase the land in the 1970s.

Earlier this week, the Bears penned an open letter discussing some of the obligations they would have to fulfill in order to develop the property, which the organization hopes to close on in early 2023.

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More Evidence Lori Lightfoot Is Desperate To Keep Bears In Chicago

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www.sportsmockery.com

More Evidence Lori Lightfoot Is Desperate To Keep Bears In Chicago​

The Bears Can’t Even Be Bribed To Stay In Crime-Ridden Chicago

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dailycaller.com

The Bears Can’t Even Be Bribed To Stay In Crime-Ridden Chicago​

 

[PakFactor]

Bears: 'Singular focus' is on Arlington Park site

The Bears are moving forward with their plan to eventually leave Soldier Field and build a new stadium in the suburbs of Chicago on the 326-acre Arlington Park site.

www.espn.com

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- While still in the early stages of development, the Chicago Bears are moving forward with their plan to eventually leave Soldier Field and build a new stadium in the northwest suburbs of Chicago on the 326-acre Arlington Park site.

"Right now, we don't have a Plan B," Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips said Thursday. "Our singular focus is on this property."

The Bears hosted a two-hour community meeting for Arlington Heights-area residents on Thursday to discuss their conceptual plans for developing the former site of the Arlington International Racecourse, which closed last year after hosting thoroughbred racing for 94 years. The team has been under contract on the property since September 2021, when it signed a $197.2 million purchase and sale agreement.

A potential stadium has not yet been designed, according to Phillips, but will be an "enclosed" structure with an expected capacity that exceeds Soldier Field's league-low 61,500 seats.

"We're not anticipating a retractable dome," Phillips said. "Often times what we've seen with retractable domes is [that] the costs are prohibitive, the return isn't there, there's mechanical issues."

Phillips added: "Hopefully it can attract major events like the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, concerts, the Final Four. We don't have a facility like that now."

Phillips was met with applause when he stated that the team would not be discussing any alternative sites to build a stadium, nor would it be considering renovations of Soldier Field.

Bears chairman George McCaskey told a half-full gymnasium at John Hersey High School that the entire project could take more than 10 years to complete and that a new stadium would make up less than half of the development, which would include restaurants, retail and office space, housing, a hotel, fitness center, new parks, ponds and open areas.

"My family and I are not real estate developers," McCaskey said. "We are not financiers. We are privileged to own a beloved football team that is an important community asset. We take that responsibility to heart. It is our life's passion. We do recognize what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

McCaskey said the Bears will "seek no public funding for direct stadium structure construction" but would need assistance in order to complete the rest of the multibillion-dollar project. The necessary infrastructure, like roads and sewers, is what the Bears will need taxpayer help with or "will not be able to move forward" with the project, according to McCaskey.

In fielding questions from attendees, Phillips clarified that no buildings on the Arlington Park site will be constructed with public funds.

"We're not asking for property taxes to be raised in Arlington Heights to fund the stadium construction," McCaskey said. "It's not our part to say that property taxes for Arlington Heights residents won't go up, but that might be for reasons that have nothing to do with this construction."

McCaskey said the Bears were not actively looking for a property to develop when Arlington Park became available. Churchill Downs Inc., which owned the land, reached out to the Bears to gauge the team's interest. McCaskey said the organization, under his grandfather George Halas' leadership, tried previously to purchase the land in the 1970s.

Earlier this week, the Bears penned an open letter discussing some of the obligations they would have to fulfill to develop the property, which the organization hopes to close on in early 2023.

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View attachment 881861

More Evidence Lori Lightfoot Is Desperate To Keep Bears In Chicago

Lori Lightfoot was so confident the Bears weren't going anywhere last year. Now it's plain as day she's reached the moment of desperation.

www.sportsmockery.com

More Evidence Lori Lightfoot Is Desperate To Keep Bears In Chicago​

The Bears Can’t Even Be Bribed To Stay In Crime-Ridden Chicago

The Chicago Bears, the city's prized NFL team, rejected Mayor Lightfoot's billion-dollar offer to improve their home stadium and are determined to relocate.

dailycaller.com

The Bears Can’t Even Be Bribed To Stay In Crime-Ridden Chicago​

Thanks to that mayor and the infestation of criminals, Chicago isn't as desirable for a business. Many corporations decided to pull out from Boeing, McDonald's and Citadel Securities, etc. So much crime is happening even I go in packed (hand gun) when I have meetings in Chicago.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Thanks to that mayor and the infestation of criminals, Chicago isn't as desirable for a business. Many corporations decided to pull out from Boeing, McDonald's and Citadel Securities, etc. So much crime is happening even I go in packed (hand gun) when I have meetings in Chicago.

People on PDF wonder why old cities like Chicago, San Francisco, or Philadelphia have crime/homeless problems. Well it starts with a slippery slope of Mayors not fixing problems and saying everything is perfectly fine...and then when things hit the fan and their business/resident tax base starts leaving they change their tune...but by that time it is WAY too late. That Football revenue is now gone forever.

Ah you gotta love it:

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Oh and here is the classic way that when losing their tax base they are forced to overcorrect and cause even MORE people to flee.

Lightfoot policy change could quadruple Chicago property tax hike in 2023

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to tie property taxes to inflation in 2020 is coming back to bite taxpayers.

www.illinoispolicy.org

Lightfoot policy change could quadruple Chicago property tax hike in 2023.

 

[Gripen9]

Would they be then called Arlington Heights Bears?