In shift away from Arlington Park, Bears say they’ll give $2 billion for publicly-owned stadium near Soldier Field
Little more than a year after purchasing the former Arlington Park racetrack as home to a new stadium, the Chicago Bears on Monday announced they may not move that far from their current home on Chicago’s lakefront after all.
The Bears now are eyeing the south parking lot of Soldier Field for a new publicly-owned domed stadium, the team announced. But the plan faces a difficult task to secure public subsidies and a likely legal challenge from the nonprofit Friends of the Parks group, which successfully fought off filmmaker George Lucas’ plans to build a museum on the site in 2016.
In a statement, Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren said the NFL franchise is committed to contributing more than $2 billion in private funds to build a stadium and improve open spaces on the Museum Campus.
“The future stadium of the Chicago Bears will bring a transformative opportunity to our region — boosting the economy, creating jobs, facilitating mega events and generating millions in tax revenue,” Warren said. “We look forward to sharing more information when our plans are finalized.”
The Bears closed on their $197.2 million purchase of the 326-acre racetrack on Feb. 15, 2023, and have since demolished the grandstand and other buildings to achieve a property tax savings amid a protracted battle with three local school districts and Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi.
Warren, who came aboard last April, opened talks last year with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson — who took office in May — about stadium sites in the city.
Johnson on Monday issued a statement supporting the Bears’ renewed focus on the city.
“I have said all along that meaningful private investment and a strong emphasis on public benefit are my requirements for public-private partnerships in our city,” Johnson said. “The Chicago Bears’ plans are a welcome step in that direction and a testament to Chicago’s economic vitality. I look forward to subsequent talks with the Bears, state leadership and community stakeholders about how we can continue to responsibly support the aspirations of the team, its fans and all residents of the city of Chicago.”
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Jack Lavin, who secured Warren as keynote speaker for the chamber’s annual meeting in June, also supports the Bears’ shift back to the lakefront.
“By investing over $2 billion dollars of private money in a state-of-the-art, publicly owned stadium on the city’s Museum Campus, the Chicago Bears aren’t just showcasing their dedication to enhancing the fan experience — they’re also proving their commitment to the residents of Chicago,” Lavin said.
Friends of the Parks didn’t immediately respond to the Bears’ latest plans Monday morning, but has already started to mount opposition to suggestions that the Bears might build on the lakefront.
“We stand on the shoulders of past heroes who fought to keep (the lakefront) ‘open, clear and free’ when we say to the Chicago Bears: Our lakefront parkland is for the people and not for private interests,” Fred Bates, Friends of the Parks board member and legal strategist, said in December. “We continue to advocate for it to be a greener, more accessible space, and we will not stand by and watch anyone try to use it for real estate development.”
The Bears’ current lease with the Chicago Park District for Soldier Field will expire in 2033. The team has not released renderings for a stadium in Chicago or in Arlington Heights.
It’s unclear how much public funding the Bears would be seeking for a lakefront stadium. The Bears and the White Sox have reportedly been exploring a financing partnership. The White Sox are seeking a new stadium in Chicago. Both Guaranteed Rate Field, which opened in 1991, and the 2002 Soldier Field renovations were funded with the same hotel tax bond issued by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
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· Shaw Local News Network contributed to this report.