Latest news with #BearsStadium
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Bears' Push For Stadium Funding On Hold Until November
Audience members listen as representatives from the Chicago Bears present their concept for building ... More a stadium and entertainment district on the site of Arlington International Racecourse during an informational public meeting at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, on Sept. 8, 2022. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) For the second session in a row, the Illinois legislature adjourned without bringing the Bears' request for stadium funding to the floor for consideration. After spending some of 2023 and most of '24 seeking help in constructing a state-of-the-art facility on the banks of Lake Michigan, adjacent to Soldier Field, the Bears shifted their focus to land they own in Arlington Heights, in Chicago's northwest suburbs. The 326-acre site had been home to the Arlington (Park) Racecourse, which for years hosted the Arlington Million race. It appears in many ways an ideal location for a retractable roof stadium capable of hosting Super Bowls and non-football events like the Final Four. But the team's first choice was to stay in the city, with mayor Brandon Johnson and other Chicago politicians trying to put together public financing to help the team on the project. Continuing opposition led to a recent pivot to Arlington Heights in the winter. Team president Kevin Warren confirmed that to reporters during the NFL meetings in May. The franchise, which recently was formally transferred from the late Virginia McCaskey to son George McCaskey and her other heirs, has said it will build the $2 billion stadium with its money and a grant from the NFL but is seeking about $2.4 billion in public funding for both new debt and upgrades to infrastructure (mainly roads and the nearby Metra train station, a vital link to bring fans from downtown). Warren has said he believes the issue can be addressed in time for construction to begin before the end of 2025. But the public shift in preference from a downtown stadium to one in the suburbs apparently happened too late for the measure to even be formally debated by the legislature. 'I don't know who works with the Bears on their timing, but I would say they've mastered the art of bad timing,' state Sen. Robert Peters told the Chicago Tribune in May. 'I wish they could master the art of having a good team instead of doing this.' The spring session ended on Sunday, after approving a $55.2 billion budget submitted by Gov. JB Pritzker. State legislators will return to Springfield, Ill., in the fall. 'We were super close and just ran out of time,' Rep. Mary Beth Canty, who represents Arlington Heights, told the Tribune. 'We're going to keep working all through the summer.' Pritzker has said his preference is for the team to remain downtown but has publicly remained opposed to state funding. The size of the state's budget has grown by about 38 percent since he took office without any new construction on sports facilities. Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is also seeking funding to build a new stadium. His effort to move the team to a location in the South Loop appears stalled. One new element of the Bears' situation is how the Chicago faction in the legislature is openly working against the team's move to the suburbs. 'The Bears have made it clear — they no longer want to be in Chicago,' Rep. Kam Buckner told the Tribune. 'That's their decision. But if they want to leave and use state dollars or ask for special tax protections to do it, they'll have to come through Springfield. And in Springfield, that means facing the Chicago delegation directly.' While no motions specifically addressing stadium funding were filed in the spring session, others involving taxing districts on so-called mega-projects, were introduced but did not come to a vote. The Bears successfully negotiated tax rates with village officials in Arlington Heights but are seeking assurances those rates won't be heavily adjusted in future years. The Bears have played in Chicago since moving from Decatur, Ill., in the early 1920s. The team has never owned its stadium, playing mostly at Wrigley Field and Soldier Field. The lease on Soldier Field runs through 2033 but includes an agreement for the team to pay a penalty if it leaves earlier, with that fee decreasing annually until expiration. The Bears agreed to purchase the Arlington Park horse track site from the Churchill Downs group in 2022 and closed on the $197.2-million deal in February, 2023. But the focused shifted back to downtown after Warren was hired away from his position as Big Ten commissioner later in '23. He orchestrated the Minnesota Vikings' downtown stadium project while working as their chief administrative (and later operating) officer in 2005-19. The Bears' proposed downtown stadium came with an estimated cost of $3.2 billion when it was announced in April, 2024. The Bears offered to pay $2 billion, including an NFL grant, leaving public funding responsible for $1.2 million in construction costs in addition to infrastructure improvements. Soldier Field was remodeled through public financing in 2002. The Illinois Sports Facility Authority still owes almost $600 million in principal and interest for that project. The Illinois General Assembly's fall session typically occurs in November, with its primary charge being the consideration of the governor's vetoes of bills from the regular session. The Bears may seek to add a special session to consider stadium funding rather than waiting until the 2026 regular session convenes in January. Bears' lobbyists, including a former Pritzker aide, have been quietly meeting with Prizker's staff and an outside advisor in recent months. The state hired Steve Argeris, a New York- and Washington, D.C.-based lawyer, as part of its due diligence on the stadium effort, according to the Chicago Tribune. Argeris previously worked for the owners of the NFL's Carolina Panthers. His participation is a sign the state is gathering information and may be moving closer to formally considering funding measures.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicago Bears' stadium efforts run out of time in Springfield but suburban lawmaker says deal was close and talks will continue
SPRINGFIELD — While the Illinois General Assembly didn't end up passing legislation this session that helped or hurt the Chicago Bears' stadium efforts, one suburban lawmaker said the legislature got close to a deal on property tax legislation — a measure widely seen as a way to ease a team move to Arlington Heights. 'We were super close and just ran out of time,' state Rep. Mary Beth Canty, a Democrat who represents the northwest suburb and surrounding areas, said Sunday. The team in mid-May announced it was shifting its focus away from building a new lakefront stadium in Chicago to Arlington Heights, where it purchased the former Arlington International Racecourse property two years ago. Though the spring legislative session ended as the calendar turned to June on Saturday night, legislators will likely get another chance to pass legislation in the fall. Still, state Rep. Kam Buckner pushed back on the idea that any agreement was close, as no deal was ever actually introduced in the legislature. 'The Bears have made it clear — they no longer want to be in Chicago. That's their decision,' Buckner, a Chicago Democrat whose district includes Soldier Field, said in a text message Sunday. 'But if they want to leave and use state dollars or ask for special tax protections to do it, they'll have to come through Springfield. And in Springfield, that means facing the Chicago delegation directly.' Lawmakers this session introduced multiple bills proposing changes to state laws that would better enable so-called megaprojects, like a new Bears stadium, to be built. But compromise language that received some support was never introduced, Canty acknowledged. The potential changes would give local control to taxing districts statewide, and not simply be a boost to the Bears' prospects of moving to a specific suburb, she said. 'We're going to keep working all through the summer. I don't like to jinx anything and I also don't like to predict what — where everybody will be' by the fall veto session, Canty said, referring to the next time lawmakers are expected to consider bills. A Bears spokesperson on Sunday reiterated the team's statement that it has made progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights. The dream of a new domed stadium in Chicago has faced enormous headwinds in Springfield since the Bears unveiled a proposal last year asking the state to take on $900 million in new debt and spend $1.5 billion on infrastructure improvements. The franchise likely has a smoother path to move to Arlington Heights, but one of the holdups there was a dispute with the village and local school districts over property taxes. Language discussed behind closed doors in the waning days of session would have allowed 'a weighted vote' of all local taxing bodies to set a property tax payment amount for development projects, while also implementing guardrails from the state on issues like the length of time the agreements could last, Canty said. Gov. JB Pritzker has made clear that while he personally would like to see the Bears stay in Chicago, he is skeptical of providing taxpayer funds to help a private business build a new stadium. Buckner said members of the Chicago delegation in both the House and Senate were 'all very vigilant in the last days of session, expecting the Bears to try to sneak language through the legislature.' 'I don't care how many other lawmakers they talk to — there will be no chicanery, no shortcuts, and no sidestepping the people of Chicago,' he wrote. Asked on Sunday about the prospects for legislation benefiting the Bears, Pritzker said he generally supported options like STAR bonds, a mechanism for local governments to finance big projects, though he emphasized that idea was not specific to the Bears. The discussion on STAR bonds was separate from the megaprojects proposal discussed in the final days of session, Canty said. Tribune reporter Jeremy Gorner contributed.
CBS News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Rolling Meadows, Illinois to study impact of potential Chicago Bears stadium in neighboring Arlington Heights
Leaders in the northwest Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows want to know how their municipality could be impacted if the Chicago Bears build a new stadium in neighboring Arlington Heights. At a meeting Tuesday night, the Rolling Meadows City Council approved the hiring of a team of consultants. They will research everything from traffic to construction and sound when it comes to a new stadium. But Rolling Meadows Mayor Lara Sanoica emphasized the excitement at the prospect of the Bears' possible move too. "We are on the cusp of achieving a dream that has captured Chicago's northwest suburban imagination since George S. Halas first proposed moving the Bears to Arlington Park 50 years ago," Sanoica said. Indeed, talk of moving the Bears to Arlington Heights is not actually new at all. The Bears moved to Soldier Field in 1971 after half a century of sharing Wrigley Field with the Chicago Cubs, and the team website notes that Bears management toured Arlington Park racetrack even back then — only to find it of insufficient spectator capacity. When the Bears arrived at Soldier Field, they initially signed on for a three-year commitment. By 1975, a move to Arlington Heights was being floated again. As quoted by the Daily Herald, Bears owner George S. "Papa Bear" Halas told the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce, "I hope and pray that 1977 will find the Bears contending for a title in a new stadium in Arlington Heights." The more recent narrative involving the Bears going to Arlington Heights dates back only to 2021, when they made a bid to buy the old 326-acre Arlington International Racecourse. While they closed that $197 million deal in 2023, and later demolished the racetrack's grandstand and other buildings, plans to build a stadium there were delayed amid a dispute over property taxes. The Bears later pivoted to plans for a domed stadium on the Chicago lakefront, unveiling a $4.7 billion proposal that would have relied on $2.4 billion in public funding. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has called that plan a "nonstarter," and said public funding for a Bears stadium would not be a good deal for taxpayers. With talks about that proposed lakefront stadium having stalled, the Bears have now shifted their focus back to the old Arlington International Racecourse site. Rolling Meadows borders the property on three sides.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arlington Heights board meets as Bears eye suburban stadium site again
The Brief The Arlington Heights Village Board held its first meeting since news of the Bears' renewed suburban focus. Mayor Jim Tinaglia said the village is waiting on the team's next steps and promised a transparent public process. A resident urged trustees to negotiate strong community benefits if the project moves forward. CHICAGO - As the Chicago Bears shift their attention away from the lakefront and back to Arlington Heights, there's new buzz—and new questions—around the project. What we know On Monday, the Village of Arlington Heights Board of Trustees held its first meeting since the news broke. Mayor Jim Tinaglia, during the meeting, said they are still waiting on the Bears organization for next steps, but as soon as they have anything to share with the public, they will. The Chicago Bears already own a plot of land where the former Arlington Park racecourse was once housed, and last week, team officials cited 'significant progress' with local leaders in the northwest suburb. Last year, the team unveiled renderings for a proposed lakefront stadium, but it seems plans to remain in the city are on the back burner. What they're saying The Bears stadium plans were not on Monday's agenda but still drew attention during public comment. One resident who addressed the trustees believes the village should take advantage of the opportunity and improve life for residents. "We're in the driver's seat as a village right now. For example, this is an opportunity to negotiate even more funds for education, for desperately needed available and affordable housing, for infrastructure investment, for public works, for public health, and for safe streets—all in exchange for the massive property tax subsidies that will be given to the Bears later on," said Keith Moens, who lives in Arlington Heights. Tinaglia, who was elected as mayor in April and took office in early May, made clear that if and when the Bears commit to coming to Arlington Heights, the community will have a voice. "There will be a process that is going to begin, and there will be an enormous amount of opportunity for every resident, every business owner, to become educated and participate in all the dialogue that's going to happen and this entire board, believe me when I tell you, we'll all have something to say," Tinaglia said. What's next Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said last week in a statement that the city's doors are still open. Now—the waiting game continues. When will the Chicago Bears make their next move and what will it be? Arlington Heights residents and business owners hope to have those answers soon. The Source FOX 32's Kasey Chronis reported on this story.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Chicago Bears plan to prioritize development for Arlington Heights stadium
It's not a done deal, but the Chicago Bears are still focused on the development site in Arlington Heights for a potential stadium, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Johnson's office. The spokesperson said in a statement that the mayor spoke with leadership from the team, who indicated they "intend to prioritize the development site located in the Village of Arlington Heights." The team, in a statement, said: "Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights, and look forward to continuing to work with state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality." The Bears have been talking about a move from their home of more than 50 years at Soldier Field since 2021. The Bears bought the site of the old Arlington International Racecourse for $197 million in February of 2023, and had the grandstand and other structures on the site demolished. But months later, the team put the Arlington Heights plan on the back burner in favor of building their new stadium along the Chicago lakefront. The location later came back into the picture as a possible stadium site. In November 2024, the Bears reached a tentative deal over property taxes, and the village board approved an agreement between the Bears and nearby school districts the following month. The mayor's office said the Johnson Administration worked to present a good deal to the Bears and the city for the team to remain at the lakefront, but was not allowed to move forward financially due to the climate in Springfield. The office also said, "The city remains open and will help facilitate any movement to keep the team in Chicago." The video above is from a previous report.
