Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren and Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli participated in a meeting Friday regarding the possibility of the Bears ditching plans to construct a new stadium complex at the site of the former Arlington Park racecourse and instead build a stadium in Naperville.
That same day, the Bears publicly revealed they are exploring more options for a stadium in the suburbs, saying the Arlington Heights project is no longer the team's "singular focus" following a tax hiccup. Days prior to the meeting regarding the team's potential move, Wehrli sent Warren a letter explaining his interest, noting that "the city would welcome the opportunity to review your business needs and our available properties."
"We have several available or to-be-available sites that may fit the characteristics you are looking for in your future home," the mayor said, in part, adding "...Being the home of the Chicago Bears would unlock tremendous economic benefits for our community."
The team most recently received approval to begin the initial phase of demolition plans in Arlington Heights.
In recent weeks, the potential move got a little more complicated after the Cook County Assessor hiked the assessed value of the team’s newly acquired land, meaning their property tax bill could be headed for a major increase.
The team closed on the purchase of the 326-acre site that held the former Arlington International Racecourse in February, paying $197.2 million for the property. The previous assessed value sat at roughly $33 million, but as part of the triennial reassessment, Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office placed its value at $197 million. That increase could hike the property tax bill proportionally, spelling out a potential sixfold spike.
"The Chicago Bears goal of building the largest single development project in Illinois history led by billions of dollars in private capital investment, and the jobs and economic benefits generated, is at risk in Arlington Heights," the statement read, in part. "The stadium-based project remains broadly popular in Arlington Heights, Chicagoland and the state. However, the property’s original assessment at five times the 2021 tax value, and the recent settlement with Churchill Downs for 2022 being three times higher, fails to reflect the property is not operational and not commercially viable in its current state.
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The Bears are asking the Board of Review to reassess the tax value of the property. A hearing is expected to take place on the matter in June.
"Our office’s mission is to assess property based on market value," a spokesperson for the Cook County Assessor's office said Friday. "The 2022 assessment of the former Arlington Racecourse site is consistent with both the 2023 purchase price of the property and the price per square foot of other similarly sized land in the area. The facts speak for themselves."
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The complete text of the letter from Wehrli to Warren is below:
Dear Mr. Warren:
"Congratulations on your new position as President and CEO of one of the region's most iconic businesses and beloved sports franchises. As a lifelong Bears fan, I respect that the team has decided that developing and operating its own stadium is essential for on-field success and pursuing championships.
On behalf of the City of Naperville, I would like to formally introduce our community to your organization as you consider or reassess your planned relocation. The city would welcome the opportunity to review your business needs and our available properties.
Through prudent planning, Naperville is accessible via our region's major interstates and Metra. We have several
available or to-be-available sites that may fit the characteristics you are looking for in your future home. Like you, I am new to my role. I pledged to pursue responsible economic development to support Naperville's thriving economy. Being the home of the Chicago Bears would unlock tremendous economic benefits for our community.
While I am new to being mayor, I have been on the Board of Directors of the Naperville Development Partnership, the city’s economic development partner, in my private-sector capacity as a business owner and community banker. This group has a track record of working with businesses to make investments in Naperville the right decision for their organization and our community.
If you or your team would like to discuss your needs, please contact me at the information below. For any business looking to invest and create jobs, I provide concierge service and ensure you get all the necessary information to make a timely business decision.
Good luck in your new capacity, and we wish the Bears luck in the upcoming NFL season."
Sincerely,
Scott A. Wehrli
Mayor
City of Naperville
