Arlington Heights Approves Bears' Pre-Development Stadium Plan

Arlington Park pre-development plan approved originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Village of Arlington Heights approved a pre-development plan for the Bears' stadium at Arlington Park on Monday. 

The agreement vote is not binding, but the framework of the design and potential construction of the 326-acre land is agreed upon between the board and the Bears. 

"This is not a binding obligation or either part, that it is a good faith agreement to work together to cooperate towards the exploration of the redevelopment of this property," said Cliff Stein, senior vice president and general counsel of the Chicago Bears.

The agreement also indicates the Bears' first public acknowledgment surrounding a request for public money. In September, the Bears concluded they will need public funding for infrastructure, and the stadium would not be built without it. 

MORE: Arlington Heights trustees concerned about stadium plans

Hawk Howerton, the architecture company responsible for constructing the Bears' new stadium in Arlington Park, released a 31-page document outlining the design of the district surrounding the Bears' stadium. 

The first part of the plan outlines the transportation services readily available to access the stadium, followed by the dimensions and approximate walking time/distance around the stadium. 

The Bears have unveiled their “Preliminary Master Plan” for Arlington Park in an open letter. Town hall scheduled for Thursday. pic.twitter.com/TqzZNDUG0E

— Josh Schrock (@Schrock_And_Awe) September 6, 2022

Interestingly, it outlines the geography of each implemented section of the multi-purpose district. These include the hotel, sportsbook, "Bears fit," the neighborhood park, parking around the stadium and more. 

It also displays the green and water areas around the stadium. There will be a green area for tailgating, according to the master plan. 

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For the green and water area, the plan attaches current examples around the city of Chicago and across the country of representations they'd like to derive for their areas. The green space in Lincoln Park is a prime Chicago example.

The plan details graphics of what the district would look like in real life. The graphics look similar to that of an outdoor mall – filled with stores, buildings and other commercial renderings that can be accessed with walking paths.

The mastery plan is extremely detailed with Bears-centric designs, with specific insights into each section of the multi-purpose district. 

The only missing piece of the puzzle is the stadium design. Every sighting of the stadium in the development plan is an opaque outline. 

However, Hawk Howerton has created the concept for the rest of the stadium district and its specifics, as seen in the plan itself. 

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