Bears stadium
Coverage of the Bears’ efforts to build a new home in the Chicago area.
El gobernador J.B. Pritzker ha expresado en varias ocasiones su escepticismo sobre los planes de los Bears para el estadio, que incluyen subvenciones públicas. Este miércoles, el equipo se reúne con dos altos funcionarios de Pritzker.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly voiced skepticism over the Bears’ stadium plans, which include public subsidies. On Wednesday, the team will meet with two top Pritzker staffers.
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That the Bears can just diesel their way in, Bronko Nagurski-style, and attempt to set a sweeping agenda for the future of one of the world’s most iconic water frontages is more than a bit troubling.
Based on what we’ve seen of the Bears plans so far, and given the lakefront’s civic importance, Mayor Johnson should steer the team to consider other locations in Chicago.
The idea of two new stadiums and public funding should be a nonstarter.
With a “financing partnership” between the two sports teams now in the works, Chicagoans know more about what they might be up against: Two wealthy sports teams joining forces to get huge taxpayer subsidies.
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Fans said they liked the new amenities and features in the $4.7 billion stadium proposal unveiled Wednesday, although some worried the south lakefront could become even more congested than it is now.
Two additional infrastructure phases that would “maximize the site” and bring “additional opportunities for publicly owned amenities” could bring taxpayers’ tab to $1.5 billion over about five years, according to the team.
The final project would turn the current Soldier Field site into a park-like area, but that wouldn’t necessitate playing home games elsewhere during construction.
The Bears have hired political veteran Andrea Zopp to serve as a senior adviser on their legal team.
One day after the Bears offered to spend $2 billion in private money to help build a publicly owned dome near where Soldier Field sits now, Friends of the Parks board member Fred Bates was not appeased by the team’s sketchy promise to create nearly 20% more open space.
The Bears confirmed they have shifted plans from building a stadium in Arlington Heights to building one at the Museum Campus.
Schroeder, who played for the Bears from 1951-1957, just turned 95. He played under Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and Bears legend George Halas. “He was like a father to me.”
State Rep. Kam Buckner, whose district includes Soldier Field, wants to put public transit in an underutilized busway to make the lakefront more accessible and surround the new stadium with bars, restaurants and a hotel.
“Wouldn’t it be unbelievable for our city if you were to see two amazing facilities for these great sports teams built at once?” said Curt Bailey, president of Related Midwest, which oversees the vacant 62-acre site where the White Sox hope to build.
We citizens shouldn’t fall prey to our teams’ brazen financial requests.
The Bears’ looming property tax bill of close to $11 million leaves team brass looking elsewhere as they work toward breaking ground on a long-coveted dome.
An expected property tax bill around $11 million is well above what team leaders were hoping to pay as they weigh the possibilities of building a dome either in the suburbs or along Chicago’s lakefront.
There would be bountiful parking that Soldier Field lacks and the neighborhood would remain a sports mecca and home to Chicago’s most popular team.
Goodell steered clear of picking sides between the sites in Arlington Heights and Chicago, though.
The Bears’ legal team argues the property should be assessed as vacant land. The districts value the property at $160 million; the team values the site at $60 million.
The Bears are still talking to Arlington Heights officials to try to drive down their property tax assessment there. They’ve discussed staying on the lakefront, including building on a parking lot south of Soldier Field.
The Bears’ decision to have a surveyor examine the South Lot of Soldier Field, as a source confirmed Thursday, is the latest instance of the team exploring options for a new stadium outside of Arlington Heights.
The team’s president says the Bears won’t push for the legislation they argue is key to their plans for a massive development in Arlington Heights.
Mayor Johnson has not yet offered an alternative stadium site to the Bears if the team is determined to leave Soldier Field. He says he’s using this time for relationship building.
The team and city will need to work together going forward regardless of the stadium issue, and Warren seems intent on maintaining that relationship.
As the Chicago Bears try to haggle over their property tax assessment on the land they bought in Arlington Heights, Richton Park Mayor Rick Reinbold wants the team to look at his far south suburban village as a potential destination.
With the team’s Arlington Heights proposal in flux, an Aurora spokesman said Bears representatives “responded quickly and positively” to their entreaty, which follows others from Naperville and Waukegan.
While Naperville and other towns enter the picture, it really comes down to Arlington Heights versus Soldier Field, with one gaining momentum.
The Bears are stressing that demolition does not mean the team will necessarily develop the property for a new stadium. They bought the land for $197.3 million with that intent but have since grown dissatisfied with its property tax assessment.
As the team mulls a new stadium, Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor pitched the team on the north suburb’s “opportunities, advantages and history with the Bears organization.”
It’s too early to tell whether the team was bluffing when it said Arlington Heights has competition and introduced Naperville to the stadium game. Were the Bears angling for an Arlington Heights tax break?
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The team complains about Soldier Field, but the organization is to blame for the way it looks and operates and all its foibles. Giving the Bears free rein to arrogate public property turned out to be a multifaceted disaster.
The Rickettses, owners of the Cubs, ended up using their own money to renovate Wrigley Field and build up the surrounding neighborhood. Why can’t the McCaskeys do the same with their project?
Brandon Johnson’s promise to make $1 billion worth of “investments in people,” makes it tough to imagine him moving a new Chicago Bears stadium to the top of his “to do” list.
The Bears want what they want, and whichever suburb decides to pony up will get what it has coming.
The proposal from Naperville comes as talks with Arlington Heights have stalled amid disagreements between the team and surrounding suburbs about taxing and school districts. The Bears vowed to keep working with Arlington Heights but said “it is no longer our singular focus.”
The Bears began demolishing the interior of Arlington this week. No more fruitlessly pursuing the team. Now Johnson has to sort out the best use of Soldier Field.
It’s another step toward leaving Soldier Field and building a new stadium in Arlington Heights.