Days after releasing their open letter regarding the early plans for Arlington Park, George McCaskey and Ted Phillips sat before reporters and fans to discuss what the Chicago Bears hope to accomplish with the 326-acre property. It is important to remember the sale isn’t officially closed. There are several details to work through. Nothing is set in stone. Still, expectations are this will eventually get done. Current estimates have it closing within the next six months.
McCaskey and Phillips reiterated that the process isn’t close to underway. These are the beginning stages. They envision this project spanning the next decade. That is how massive it is in scale. While the stadium itself might be a priority, the rest of the village won’t be completed in one go. It will take time, labor, and lots of money. Every detail must be worked through. So here are some things that came up in the meeting.
George McCaskey offered some clarity on several key points.
#1 – Arlington Heights is the focus
Ted Phillips mentions Bears won’t explore any other stadium alternatives, including Soldier Field renovations, while under contract with Churchill Downs.
Applause breaks out.
— Josh Schrock (@Schrock_And_Awe) September 9, 2022
While they weren’t 100% committed to any guarantees, Phillips was adamant that the entire focus of the franchise was on the Arlington Park project. That is a clear message to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and everybody else that the idea of renovating Soldier Field is off the table. They’ve tried that approach for years and been brushed off. They want to take their destiny into their own hands. Arlington Heights is their goal.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
#2 – No public funding will be sought
George McCaskey: “The Bears will seek no public funding for direct stadium structure construction…However, we will need help.” McCaskey said that this is an multi billion dollar project that could take 10 years or more to complete.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) September 9, 2022
The exact details of this are difficult to gauge. The best guess is that George McCaskey and the Bears are willing to make concessions that the stadium won’t be publicly funded, but they still require help with the surrounding property. That would make some sense since the village they aim to build would be for public consumption, far more than the actual stadium. It may take more time before clarification on this subject comes around. Either way, the McCaskeys know this is a touchy subject. They must tread carefully.
#3 – The stadium will be bigger and enclosed
Ted Phillips says a new stadium will be enclosed and the capacity, parking and tailgating areas will all increase. Crowd cheers again.
Ted says: “I’ve never had as many claps in my life.”
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) September 9, 2022
Soldier Field is the smallest stadium in the NFL at 61,500 seats. It was a foregone conclusion the new building would be bigger. The question is how much. Early estimates say somewhere between 66,000 and 70,000. The fans will love the idea of bigger parking spaces more than anything. Parking is always a nightmare downtown. What nobody knows is what precisely the Bears mean by “enclosed.” Will it be a pure dome or a retractable roof so the team can still play in the elements? With no diagram to offer, they may not yet be sure.
#4 – Bears have the A-team on this project
The #Bears’ master planner on this project — Hart Howerton — is the same group that developed Sofi Stadium and the Hollywood Park area in Inglewood, Calif.
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) September 9, 2022
This was one of the more interesting revelations of the presentation. Most consider Sofi Stadium the shining beacon of the NFL. It is a massive $5 billion complex with state-of-the-art features and a gorgeous surrounding property. If that is what McCaskey and Phillips are aiming for, then the project’s scope takes on new meaning. The amount of money required to pull it off will be ridiculous. Then again, it likely won’t be hard to find investors, considering how beneficial it could be in the long run.
I wish the Bears a successful purchase of the Arlington Heights property and developing a new home for the team. It sounds too good to be true!
I’m hoping this project fallls through, which knowing the Mccaskeys it probably will
George McCaskey is a jagoff. I remember interning for the Bear’s. The other employee’s were great. But Georgie boy couldnt be bothered to talk to you unless you had a vagina.
Going from 61k to 66-70k ? Thats it ..while i’s gonna take 10yrs to build, we’re the 3rd largest market in the damn country and you tryna say that you gonna build a new stadium for just 5k ppl extra can come in? That’s ridiculous. Atleast make it 80k or something with a retractable roof to make it atleast worth your while. You’ll get your money back don’t worry lol
Ten year project? Virginia will be long gone. Can the family hold it together or even pull it off before selling the team? What will the new owner’s vision be. The McCaskeys aren’t getting any younger either