As Bears Ponder Stadium Future, Rolling Meadows Pauses Kirchoff Plan

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL — As the Chicago Bears continue to ponder their next move as it relates to a new stadium home, the City of Rolling Meadows will temporarily pause its development on the Kirchoff Road development project, officials announced last week.

The temporary pause, known as a moratorium, was put in place, city officials said, to preserve the status quo while long-term planning continues. The pause, which went into effect beginning last week, is set to expire in 90 days as officials revise plans for the corridor to account for the proposed redevelopment of the former Arlington Park Racecourse property as well as consumer and societal changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bears had identified the 326-acre plot of land as its lone focus for a new multi-billion stadium and mixed-use residential, business, and entertainment district. However, after Bears President Kevin Warren announced this summer that discussions with Arlington Heights officials had hit a stalemate, the team opened discussions with several suburban municipalities and the City of Chicago with Warren saying, "everything is on the table."

City officials said that the pause applies to many new types of construction along Kirchoff Road. However, new businesses may continue to open and continue with routine improvements during the pause.

“The moratorium serves to pause any potential developments from coming forth while the City undertakes this planning initiative in order to set in place any land use regulations resulting from the subarea planning efforts prior to any possible future developments along the corridor,” Rolling Meadows City Manager Rob Sabo told Patch in an email this week.

City officials said last week that during the pause, it will decide whether to extend the pause for an additional year in order to fully update its land use plans and regulations. The Bears have said that they hope to make a decision soon about where they will build a new stadium. The team closed on a $197.2 million purchase agreement for Arlington Park and has begun demolition of the former racetrack.

Despite the stalemate, Arlington Heights officials have said that they still believe the city represents the best long-term solution for the Bears stadium.

Rolling Meadows first announced plans to review its plans for the Kirchoff Road corridor in May shortly after the Bears closed on the Arlington Park property. The City’s proactive planning updates aim to shape the Kirchoff Road corridor as a vibrant and walkable downtown district that will be an amenity for Rolling Meadows residents and an attraction for visitors to the area, the city said last week in a news release.

While many details remain unknown about the Chicago Bears’ development plans for the Arlington International Racecourse property, the city said it is taking a proactive planning approach to encourage commercial development along the Kirchoff Road corridor in conjunction with the potential Arlington Park redevelopment.

The planning updates to the Kirchoff Road corridor coincide with the City establishing its first-ever Business Development Strategic Plan which will guide the City’s economic development efforts, including attraction and retention of businesses, over the next three years.

There are three key vacant sites that are focal points for redevelopment along Kirchoff Road. Two are owned by the City, including the city’s former Fire Station 15 located at 3111 Meadow Drive. The remaining site is privately owned and is scheduled for sale via auction this month, officials said.

“What happens in the coming months will shape the character of Rolling Meadows for years to come, ” Rolling Meadows Mayor Lara Sanoica said in a statement last week. “It is important that we act deliberately and strive for future development that our residents can be proud of.”