Illinoins Governor JB Pritzker stated there has been little movement on a public financing deal with the Bears saying no current proposal acceptable to the legislature.
During Thursday’s Bears preseason finale, Bears president/CEO Kevin Warren once again made an appearance in the broadcast booth to share an update on the team’s new stadium plans.
“I feel we’re exactly where we should be, where we are,” Warren said on the broadcast.
Earlier this month, Warren said the goal was for work to begin on the new stadium in 2025 so that they could open their new home in 2028.
Where that new home will be is still unknown, but Warren said the team remains primarily focused on building at the Museum Campus in downtown Chicago. Of course, the team already owns 326 acres in Arlington Heights, too.
It doesn’t sound like the team will rush to make any final decisions.
“It’s a process,” Warren said. “It doesn’t happen overnight. We want to do the right thing.”
Next up for the Bears are meetings with both political and business leaders as Warren tries to drum up a deal for the stadium. The team has run into some financial obstacles in both the city and the suburbs. They appealed a decision by the Cook County Board of Review that set the property value of their Arlington Heights property at just under $125 million. The Daily Herald reported that the Bears have read and responded to a proposed tax deal from Arlington Heights. Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called the city plan a non-starter due to financing questions.
Chicago Bears
The Bears bought Arlington Park in early 2023, just one month after Warren took the job as team president/CEO. Nearly one year after the team closed on the Arlington Park property, reports emerged that they were shifting their focus back to the city
In April, the team revealed plans for a stadium project just south of Soldier Field.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.
