Chicago Bears' 'Massive Multi-Billion Dollar' Arlington Park Plan Could Take 10 Years

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — The Chicago Bears on Thursday night unveiled plans for the potential development of the former Arlington Park Racecourse for what would be part of an expansive arts and entertainment district in Arlington Heights that will be anchored by a new home for Chicago’s National Football League franchise.

What the Bears did not deliver during a nearly-two hour meeting Thursday night in Arlington Heights was many specifics of what a new state-of-the-art enclosed stadium would look like or how much it will cost.

Officials said that those details would not come until after the former racecourse property is closed on — if and when that actually happens. But team brass emphasized to local residents Thursday night that much work has to be completed before many of the specifics of what a future Bears home could look like emerge.

Bears Unveil Initial Arlington Park Design, Won't Seek Stadium Funding

Team officials called the plan a "massive multi-billion dollar project" that could take 10 years or more to complete. Bears Chairman George McCaskey reiterated that the team will not seek public funding for a stadium that would be part of a "world-class" development that officials said will benefit Arlington Heights, the greater Chicago area, and the state of Illinois.

McCaskey said that the team would "need help" from governmental entities to fund the remainder of the $5 billion project, but officials said that the project would not be predicated on Arlington Heights residents seeing their property taxes increase.

Officials said that the stadium would be enclosed, which could attract major events such as the NCAA Final Four, Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, and other major events. Team officials said that they have not yet determined how much capacity a new stadium would include, but that it would be larger than Soldier Field's current capacity of 61,500 to provide a "first-class fan experience."

Team President Ted Phillips, who will retire after the upcoming season, said Thursday that the Bears do not anticipate the roof of the stadium will be retractable, but enclosed a permanent enclosure similar to the one at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the home of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.

McCaskey said that the stadium would include "tip-of-the-Fedora" details that pay homage to Arlington Park's horse-racing history, which dates back to 1927. However, officials said that they are committed to not including a casino as part of the development, which could include a farmers market, sportsbook, and other entertainment options.

But team officials said that the project is "much more than a stadium", but instead a stadium-anchored multi-use development project that will provide an array of economic benefits to the village of Arlington Heights and the greater region. But McCaskey said the biggest obstacle facing the franchise moving forward is the economics.

Team officials said that Thursday's meeting is just the start of a long road that will be filled with ebbs and flows. Residents, some of which showed up in Bears jerseys and other team gear, lined up outside John Hersey High School, where they waited in long lines outside the school’s gymnasium 90 minutes before the meeting started. With 2,000 seats set up inside — only about a third of which were filled — team officials formally announced plans for what the former horseracing track could look like in time.

The Bears were represented by McCaskey and Phillips, who were part of a panel that included architectural and transportation experts from the firm the Bears have hired to oversee the development of the property.

"I want to stress from the outset that we want to be good neighbors," McCaskey said at Thursday night's meeting. "... We know the community well, and like you, we want what's best for the community."

He added: "We think the development of the site, including a stadium, is a win for Bears fans, the Village of Arlington Heights, the surrounding communities, and the state of Illinois."

Phillips said that while the Bears remain committed for the time being to Soldier Field and to honoring its lease, the team is not considering other sites for a new home. That news brought a round of applause from residents, who also were pleased to hear the stadium would be enclosed.

"Right now, we don't have a Plan B," Phillips said. "Our singular focus is this property."

The meeting took place two days after the Bears sent an open letter to fans introducing initial design plans for the district where the new stadium would be housed. Team officials committed to not seeking public funding for the stadium portion of the project, but said it would seek to partner with local and state governmental bodies to fund the remainder of the plan.

The first step in moving forward is the Bears closing on the 326-acre property that formerly housed Arlington Park Racecourse. Team officials said after signing a $197.2 million purchase agreement last fall that the deal likely wouldn’t close until late 2022 or early 2023.

McCaskey said that when Arlington Park went up for sale, the team was not actively looking for a new home. He said that Churchill Downs, which owned the racecourse, approached the Bears to see if the franchise was interested in the property. He said team officials felt that the site presented unique opportunities that "warranted our attention," McCaskey said.

McCaskey said that his grandfather, George Halas, eyed the Arlington Park property back in 1970, which did not work out, nor did any of the properties that the Bears have looked at since. McCaskey said that the proposed stadium and parking will take up less than half of the development project.

The team said in the letter that the project remains a work in progress but that the site could include restaurants, fitness centers, office space, and open spaces and parks. The team estimates the project will create 48,000 jobs and result in $9.4 billion in economic revenue for the Chicagoland area.

The project is also estimated to generate $16 million in annual tax revenue in addition to property taxes for Arlington Heights, $9.8 million for Cook County, and $51.3 million for the state of Illinois, team officials said.

Earlier this week, the Arlington Heights Village Council voted unanimously to charge the Bears $200,000 in consulting fees in connection with the project. Arlington Heights officials hired Hunden Strategic Partners to conduct a fiscal economic impact and market analysis that officials said will cost $118,000 upfront in addition to an hourly rate that the firm would charge on an ongoing basis.

The board also agreed to pay the firm $85,116 upfront for traffic and parking analysis, plus ongoing hourly rates. The village’s finance director said on Tuesday that the amount would be paid through capital projects reserves funds, but that the Bears have agreed to reimburse the fund through an escrow fund.

Arlington Heights Village Manager Randy Recklaus told Patch on Thursday that the Bears' agreement to pay the village the $200,000 is not contingent on the purchase agreement closing, but said that the consulting work would not begin until after the deal goes through.

As the Bears appear to be moving ahead with a move to the suburbs, Chicago city officials seem resigned to the Bears "abandoning" the city, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said this week. The mayor, who is seeking re-election in 2023, has said that she and other city officials have plans for if the Bears do leave, which include petitioning the NFL for a second franchise.

But while the city considers its options, McCaskey and the Bears have narrowed their search down to what the chairman called perhaps "a once in a lifetime opportunity" that would be a win-win proposition for everyone involved.

"If this project is completed, what do we get? A world-class home for the Chicago Bears after more than a 100-year search," McCaskey said. "What do you get? A world-class facility, parks, housing, restaurants, hotels, and other community improvements and a 365-days-a-year economic impact from one of the largest construction projects in Illinois history."

More Bears stadium coverage from Patch:

• Chicago's Soldier Field A 'Bizarre Mix Of Past And Present': Report
• Sweet Dome Chicago: Lightfoot, City Announce Soldier Field Plans
• Bears Hire Architect For Arlington Heights Stadium Design
• Bears Sign Purchase Agreement To Buy Arlington Park For $197M