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

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — The Chicago Bears unveiled initial design plans for the redevelopment of Arlington Park Racecourse into a potential new home for the team and said that they are committed to not seeking public funding for the stadium but will ask for financial assistance in funding the rest of the project.

The release of the design for the 326-acre property does not include specific renderings of what a new stadium would look like. However, those could come Thursday when the Bears host a community forum meeting at which officials are expected to discuss the project. A team spokesman told Patch on Tuesday that team officials will not be taking questions from media members at Thursday’s event.

The meeting is scheduled to be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at John Hersey High School with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. on a first-come-first-served basis.

In an open letter released on Tuesday by the Bears, the team said that while the franchise is under contract for the former racetrack property, “there are certain conditions that must be met to be in a position to close.”

The team added: "Much remains to be decided, but any decision will be made in the best interests of the Bears long-term future, our fans and the Chicagoland community."

The team signed a $197 million purchase agreement for the property but said it will be late 2022 or early 2023 before the deal is closed. While the City of Chicago has made efforts to keep the Bears at their current home on the Lakefront, the team has said it is only focused on Arlington Park, which team officials consider one of the most unique properties in the greater Chicago area.

The team has said it expects the project to be the largest development projects in the state's history.

However, later in the letter, the team said that the Bears would not be seeking public funding for direct stadium structure construction, given the long-term public benefits of the project, the team would be seeking to partner with local government bodies to “secure additional funding” needed to support the feasibility of the remainder of the development.

The team did not say what the additional costs would be for the surrounding area.

“Make no mistake, this is much more than a stadium project,” the Bears wrote in the letter. “Any development at Arlington Park will propose to include a multi-entertainment, commercial/retail, and housing district that will provide considerable economic benefits to Cook County, the surrounding region, and the State of Illinois.”

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.

The team did not include a potential price tag for the project or for a new stadium itself. The City of Chicago estimated that making improvements to Solider Field would cost between $900,000 and $2.2 billion.

Patch reported in July that the renovation of the nearly century-old stadium on Chicago's lakefront could include adding a dome.

Regarding the Bears' interest in moving to Arlington Heights, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said building a new stadium on the former horse racing oval from scratch would increase the price tag by at least $1 billion to $1. 5 billion. She hopes the extra cost will incentive the Bears to reconsider any decision to leave Chicago.

On Tuesday, Lightfoot said that the city has other options if the Bears choose to leave. Block Club Chicago reported that Lightfoot said Tuesday that the city remains in contact with the National Football League. She hinted this summer that the city could approach the NFL about adding a second franchise like is the case in New York and Los Angeles.

“We’re going to continue our discussions with the league,” Lightfoot said on Tuesday, Block Club reported. “We’ve got Plan B, Plan C, and others in the works as well if the Bears decide they’re going to abandon the city of Chicago.

“I hope they don’t. And we’re going to keep fighting that fight as long as we possibly can."

Meanwhile, it appears the Bears continue to focus on Arlington Heights, which team officials have said has been the case since it signed the purchase agreement. The Bears have said that no level of improvements to Soldier Field, including adding a dome, would likely change their minds about leaving the city.

“We are taking serious steps to evaluate the unique opportunity presented to us,” the Bears wrote in the open letter. “The Bears remain committed to Soldier Field and will honor the terms of its lease. While the prospect of a transit-oriented mixed-use and entertainment district anchored by a new enclosed stadium is exciting for the Bears and the entire state, there is much work to be done before we can close on the property, and then whether we will develop it.”

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