Politics, it seems, is the only thing stopping the Chicago Bears from breaking ground on their new stadium. Team President Kevin Warren is lobbying the Illinois Legislature to pass a significant taxpayer-funded subsidy that would pave the way.
Are the Bears building in Arlington Heights?
Fans, along with business and political leaders, may still be debating where to build the stadium best, but Warren said last week the Bears are set on suburban Arlington Heights, 30 miles from Soldier Field, which is the team’s current home in downtown Chicago.
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“We are still extremely focused on Arlington Heights on building our stadium there,” Warren said. “That’s the plan. We strongly believe that is the only location in Cook County that would allow us to build a stadium, the new Chicago Bears stadium with a fixed roof.”
What is the major roadblock?
The team hoped the bill would pass through the Legislature in May, but it didn’t even get to a vote. If enacted, the bill would have allowed the team to negotiate their property taxes with Arlington Heights as opposed to being limited by Cook County’s assessment of the property.
“It is very, very important that it passes,” Warren said. “Because without that legislation, we are not able to proceed forward.”
The next potential vote on the bill would be in October. Warren said the legislation would create 56,000 construction jobs and more than 9000 permanent jobs.
“This is an economic bill that would give people jobs, allow them to work, to get to work,” Warren said. “Yes, the Bears would benefit from it, but it’s much more than the Bears benefiting from this bill. The entire state of Illinois would benefit from it.”
What’s the rush?
The Bears are set on not only building a stadium, but investing in a district that would include hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues. Team owner and chairman George McCaskey said the region has already missed out on securing major events like a Super Bowl due to the years-long saga.
“It’s on us to convince the governor and the state legislators that this is a good idea for the people of Illinois. We need to do a better job at that,” McCaskey said. “This project, as Kevin said, can be transformative.”
What do the team’s critics say?
Critics say the team is using Arlington Heights as a bargaining chip. State Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago lawmaker who played football for the University of Illinois, posted a response on X to the Bears’ decision in May.
“Deja Vu. The Bears again w/ the full stadium misdirection package,” Buckner said. “A hard count to bait Springfield, play-action fake to sell the lakefront dream, then a double reverse back to Arlington. This isn’t a development plan, it’s a masterclass in stadium whiplash. And it isn’t over.”
Warren said most of the stadium design is done, and the team is having weekly meetings with Arlington Heights officials. If the tax bill passes in October, they hope to “move some dirt later this year” and officially break ground next year.
