Chicago Bears reportedly mulling Soldier Field parking area as new stadium site as talks resume with schools over Arlington Heights location

[cigaretteman]

The Chicago Bears continue to check out a variety of sites in and around Chicago — including the site of Soldier Field — as potential homes for a new stadium, officials said Wednesday.

The Bears are doing due diligence on the viability of the south parking lot at Soldier Field as the location for their next stadium, according to unnamed sources cited by The Parkins & Spiegel Show on WSCR-AM 670 The Score.



The Bears have proposed building a $5 billion enclosed stadium and entertainment and housing complex on the site of the closed Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights. The project has stalled while the team tries to negotiate favorable property taxes for the site.

Chicago Bears reportedly mulling Soldier Field parking area as new stadium site as talks resume with schools over Arlington Heights location

The Chicago Bears continue to check out a variety of sites in and around Chicago — including the site of Soldier Field — as potential homes for a new stadium, officials said Wednesday.

www.chicagotribune.com

 

[B1GDeal]

Didn't read the article, but if they do just build next to the current stadium it seems like they don't have enough room without tearing down the current location to make room. So, if that's the case where would they play home games for probably two seasons? Ryan Field is only thing that comes to mind and it's small.

 

[cigaretteman]

Didn't read the article, but if they do just build next to the current stadium it seems like they don't have enough room without tearing down the current location to make room. So, if that's the case where would they play home games for probably two seasons? Ryan Field is only thing that comes to mind and it's small.

They played at the University of Illinois' stadium while the UFO was being landed on Soldier Field.

 

[Menace Sockeyes]

Didn't read the article, but if they do just build next to the current stadium it seems like they don't have enough room without tearing down the current location to make room. So, if that's the case where would they play home games for probably two seasons? Ryan Field is only thing that comes to mind and it's small.

They played at the University of Illinois' stadium while the UFO was being landed on Soldier Field.

But lets talk about the more important issue at hand: Are the Chicago Fire going to play at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium (home of D-II North Central College football) like they did back when Soldier was renovated, or will they move back to SeatGeek Stadium for that time?

 

[BioHawk]

I'm not sure the Bears could be doing this in a worse way than they are now. They went and spent millions of dollars on the Arlington Heights site and didn't even bother to check to see what the tax rates would be? And when they didn't like the answer they got they've been randomly looking at other areas around the city hoping someone will give them land and won't ask for property taxes on it? What did they think was going to happen? And now, they're stuck with a bunch of land in Arlington Heights that doesn't really serve any purpose. I guess they could still go for the mixed use buildings they had in the architecture plan but still, it seems like a poor way to go about all of this.

At least they haven't tried to blackmail the state for money, yet. It's possible they tried but Pritzker just told them to go stick it and have fun in whatever city they end up in.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

They played at the University of Illinois' stadium while the UFO was being landed on Soldier Field.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

I'm not sure the Bears could be doing this in a worse way than they are now. They went and spent millions of dollars on the Arlington Heights site and didn't even bother to check to see what the tax rates would be? And when they didn't like the answer they got they've been randomly looking at other areas around the city hoping someone will give them land and won't ask for property taxes on it? What did they think was going to happen? And now, they're stuck with a bunch of land in Arlington Heights that doesn't really serve any purpose. I guess they could still go for the mixed use buildings they had in the architecture plan but still, it seems like a poor way to go about all of this.

At least they haven't tried to blackmail the state for money, yet. It's possible they tried but Pritzker just told them to go stick it and have fun in whatever city they end up in.

I completely agree. Property taxes are probably a very big number that could have been known a long time ago.

On the other hand, if you are going to build a $5 billion stadium, and everything else checks out, are you going to abandon the location? Are they really going to jam another major attraction onto Chicago's shoreline?

It's simply the Bears doing Bears stuff.

 

[anon_b29nm7v7dwp6r]

Been a Bears fan my whole life, I briefly had hope they would do this right….but at the end of the day….we are still the Bears. So this doesn’t surprise me and I am just operating under the assumption this whole thing will be a disaster.

 

[lucas80]

I'm not sure the Bears could be doing this in a worse way than they are now. They went and spent millions of dollars on the Arlington Heights site and didn't even bother to check to see what the tax rates would be? And when they didn't like the answer they got they've been randomly looking at other areas around the city hoping someone will give them land and won't ask for property taxes on it? What did they think was going to happen? And now, they're stuck with a bunch of land in Arlington Heights that doesn't really serve any purpose. I guess they could still go for the mixed use buildings they had in the architecture plan but still, it seems like a poor way to go about all of this.

At least they haven't tried to blackmail the state for money, yet. It's possible they tried but Pritzker just told them to go stick it and have fun in whatever city they end up in.

That site, if properly developed commercially will make a lot of money. It's a win if the Bears build on it, or if they develop/flip it.
This is all a leverage play.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

But lets talk about the more important issue at hand: Are the Chicago Fire going to play at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium (home of D-II North Central College football) like they did back when Soldier was renovated, or will they move back to SeatGeek Stadium for that time?

 

[General Tso]

Worst got dam remodel in history

They played at the University of Illinois' stadium while the UFO was being landed on Soldier Field.

 

[lucas80]

Lots of rumblings that Kevin Warren is going to push out a stadium concept in a few days. The only thing I found of interest was that the Bears have promoted a long time employee, Karen Murphy, to a VP role in charge of stadium development. According to Score hosts today there is a story coming out in Crain's in a few days.
The McCaskey's do not have build a stadium money. They have the Bears, and that's about it. Nobody, and I mean nobody, really knows who is in the room when big decisions are made other than 100 year old Virginia. It's a messy situation. Supposedly Warren was brought in to handle this for the family, but unless they put in some money (Borrow it), they are going to have to break out their mooching sack.
https://www.upmatters.com/sports/sp...ion-made-to-assist-kevin-warren-with-stadium/

 

[lucas80]

A little more dribbled out. $3 billion for a domed stadium on the lakefront, with up to $400 million in loans from the NFL to help pay for it. Besides the Bears games, the stadium would seem to be a natural for use during the NCAAT, or the B10 title game as they transition to more of a rotational structure.
I am not a Chicagoan, but I do know of the power of the park people, and there will have to be significant overtures made to them, and, some of them are predisposed to never go for anything other than more green space.
It appears that the Bears and the Sox may be working in tandem to both get new stadiums.
https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2024/03/07/bears-stadium-update-0307/

 

[lucas80]

Some stuff is being reported from the owners meeting that the Bears are committed to the lakefront project, and other owners are onboard, too. It would be a jewel from an NFL marketing standpoint.
Just gotta get it past the parks people. I believe we will see renderings in a few weeks with a few goodies thrown in to draw support, and to blunt criticism of the project.
https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2024/03/26/bears-stadium-update-0326/

 

[bhawk24bob]

Some stuff is being reported from the owners meeting that the Bears are committed to the lakefront project, and other owners are onboard, too. It would be a jewel from an NFL marketing standpoint.
Just gotta get it past the parks people. I believe we will see renderings in a few weeks with a few goodies thrown in to draw support, and to blunt criticism of the project.
https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2024/03/26/bears-stadium-update-0326/

Nothing is going to stop Friends of the Park. The Bears won't be building there

 

[lucas80]

Nothing is going to stop Friends of the Park. The Bears won't be building there

Maybe. That's why I mentioned goodies. They'll throw in things to either attract support, or designed to isolate the parks people away from public sentiment. The Bears need to attract public financing to make this work. If the parks people are seen as standing in the way of a multi use facility that will bring the Super Bowl, an NCAA title game (Football or basketball), the B10 football title game, year round concerts, an expanded lakefront... One thing I heard was maybe the Bears show a plan that has a walkway to Northerly Island increasing access.
Just throwing it out there, and I've decided that Kevin Warren is not Ted Phillips.

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

White Sox going full on Ned Flanders:

 

[lucas80]

White Sox going full on Ned Flanders:

View embedded media

Well, at least that would be one reason to go to a White Sox game this season.

 

[bhawk24bob]

Maybe. That's why I mentioned goodies. They'll throw in things to either attract support, or designed to isolate the parks people away from public sentiment. The Bears need to attract public financing to make this work. If the parks people are seen as standing in the way of a multi use facility that will bring the Super Bowl, an NCAA title game (Football or basketball), the B10 football title game, year round concerts, an expanded lakefront... One thing I heard was maybe the Bears show a plan that has a walkway to Northerly Island increasing access.
Just throwing it out there, and I've decided that Kevin Warren is not Ted Phillips.

It's not a maybe, they will stop it. They stopped Lucas from putting a new museum there that he was going to pay for out of his own pocket, they will stop the Bears too.

It sounds like the Bears have exactly what they're asking for.....a lakefront stadium that they didn't have to pay for.

They should just threaten to move......again. That was short-lived lol

 

[hawkjt]

If Soldier Field is razed(cept for the columns) that creates new green space. The new stadium will be erected on concrete parking lots so Friends will be getting more green plus enhanced access to Northerly.
If all the city power brokers support it the Friends have to consider it if they will be seen as chasing bears out of city otherwise....or Friends will have no friends.