The Chicago Bears are in the process of purchasing the Arlington Park property in Arlington Heights. It covers 326 acres of land and makes for the ideal location to build a new stadium. It’s no secret the Bears have wanted out of Soldier Field for some time. They’ve grown tired of getting stonewalled by the Chicago Park District at every turn regarding renovations. Now they’re close to setting themselves free.
At last, details have surfaced regarding their plan. The organization released an open letter to Arlington Park. In it, they provided all sorts of information. For starters, they made it clear that nothing is set in stone yet. They don’t officially own the property, and there is no guarantee they will renovate. However, most agree both are foregone conclusions. Where it gets interesting is the overall plan if they do close the deal. Everybody wants to know about the new stadium. Well, we finally have an idea of what they want.
“If the team does proceed with the purchase of the Arlington Park property, and if the Bears organization then chooses to proceed with the development of the property, the project will be one of the largest development projects in Illinois state history. We envision a multi-purpose entertainment district anchored by a new, best-in-class enclosed stadium, providing Chicagoland with a new home worthy of hosting global events such as the Super Bowl, College Football Playoffs, and Final Four.”
That is a point of contention for many.
Fans wanted to know if the Bears would end up going for a domed stadium after so many years of playing outdoors. The idea is indoor buildings can host so many more events. The use of the word “enclosed” is interesting. That suggests they might explore the idea of a retractable roof. This would enable the team to still play outside during the season. It didn’t end there, though. It was also revealed that the McCaskeys would not seek public funding for the project.
“While the Bears will seek no public funding for direct stadium structure construction, given the broad, long-term public benefits of this project, we look forward to partnering with the various governmental bodies to secure additional funding and assistance needed to support the feasibility of the remainder of the development.”
An update on Arlington Park:
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 6, 2022
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The Chicago Bears seem to have a clear vision.
Building a new stadium is only part of the big picture. They want to forge an entire entertainment district for fans to enjoy. If things go as planned, it will create 48,000 new jobs and generate $9.4 billion in total economic impact for the Chicagoland area. There is a ton of money to be made with this project. That is probably why it won’t be hard for the organization to find investors. Getting support from the local taxpayers will be the biggest challenge. While they embrace the idea of a stadium in their vicinity, the price tag to get it will obviously be steep.
If Mayor Lori Lightfoot had any lingering hopes she could convince the Chicago Bears to change their minds, this is the final nail in the coffin. Barring a shocking shift in direction, the team will move when the property is complete. That won’t be for at least five years, perhaps a bit longer. Even so, it is an exciting long-term storyline for fans. They stand to benefit more than most from this. Their team will finally join the other top franchises in the NFL with the state-of-the-art facility they deserve.
@Gator Joe building a dome would compromise so much of what makes the Bears great. They are a team meant to be playing in the elements. And as far as playing outdoors being disrespectful to the fans I have been to 21 games at Soldier Field including 2 January playoff games and had they been in a dome being there would not have been anywhere near as awesome an experience
Sounds like a great plan! This would open many opportunities for the facility to be used in a variety of ways and be a great place to call the Chicago Bears home field.
Playing in inclement weather is just plain stupid for several reasons. First, it costs a ton of revenue due to no shows. Second, it is disrespectful to your own fans to make them sit out there in freezing rain for no reason. Third, this team and the league overall is designed to throw the football. At a time when we had great defense and no QB, the weather was a bit of an equalizer. But, now it hurts the Bears as much or even more than other teams. Sew it up and run the AC when it’s hot and the… Read more »
Impressive! Do it.
Jim B the whole point of playing outside is that the weather affects play. Domes are for wimps. Getting bundled up to go when it is cold is part of the experience