Football season is officially here, with the Chicago Bears kicking off the NFL preseason with a 21-17 win over the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game, which was forced to end early due to inclement weather.
During the game, Bears CEO and President Kevin Warren visited the broadcast booth, sharing an update on the team’s new stadium plans.
“The goal is still to be in the ground, moving dirt in 2025, hopefully open in 2028,” Warren said on the broadcast.
Warren also reiterated that the team is still focused on building the stadium at the museum campus in Chicago, rather than moving out to Arlington Heights.
“I still think that’s the most beautiful piece of property in the country, where lake meets architecture.”
However, Warren did leave the door open for the Bears to ultimately move to the suburbs if the team can’t cut a deal with the city.
“We are the largest land owner in Arlington Heights. We own 326 acres, so that’s still an opportunity.”
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In April, the team revealed plans for a stadium project just south of Soldier Field. However, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called that plan a non-starter due to financing questions.
The team bought Arlington Park in early 2023, just one month after Warren took the job as team president/CEO. Just over one year after the team closed on the Arlington Park property, the team confirmed that they were shifting their focus back to the city.
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