The Chicago Bears are expected to provide the first look at plans for a suburban stadium and surrounding mixed-use development that the professional football team said would be one of the largest real estate projects in Illinois history.
Team officials on Thursday night are scheduled to unveil conceptual plans for a transit-oriented, mixed-use entertainment district in Arlington Heights, Illinois, anchored by a new NFL stadium, the Bears said in a statement.
It’s the latest step in the process to determine whether the Bears will leave the city after more than a century, including the last 51 years at city-owned Soldier Field along Lake Michigan. The football team, once known as the Decatur Staleys, moved to Chicago from central Illinois in 1921 and changed their name to the Bears in 1922.
If they gain support from Arlington Heights officials, buy the 326-acre former Arlington International Racecourse for almost $200 million and secure financing for the multibillion-dollar development, the Bears would become the first team from any of the four major professional sports leagues to move from Chicago to the suburbs.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other officials have pitched plans to keep the team in the city, including potentially putting a dome on Soldier Field.
The logistics for the meeting reflect its significance for the local community: Thursday’s gathering is set for 7 p.m. at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights but, anticipating huge interest in the project, the team said doors will open at 5:30 and those who line up first will be admitted before seating capacity is reached. Parking lots will open at 5 p.m.
Transit-Oriented Development
The Bears’ statement said there will be opening remarks from team officials and a presentation of conceptual plans. It will be an informational meeting for the community, separate from an official meeting to be hosted later by Arlington Heights leaders. If the project moves forward, the village is likely to hold a series of public meetings.
The Bears describe their plan as a transit-oriented development because of a nearby Metra train station, but there are likely to be questions about how a larger new venue can be served by one commuter train line.
Although it’s known for traffic snarls because of its lakefront location, Soldier Field is accessible by several city train lines and CTA buses.
Soldier Field is part of the broader Museum Campus, also home to the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium. The campus is adjacent to the sprawling McCormick Place convention center.
The Bears, one of the NFL’s original franchises, have disclosed few specific details about what they envision for the Arlington Heights project, including whether they will seek any public subsidies.
The Bears and the owner of the former horse racing track, Churchill Downs, in September 2021 announced the team has a $197.2 million purchase and sale agreement to buy the 326-acre site. In a statement at the time, they said there were several closing conditions for the site along Euclid Avenue and Wilke Road.
Avoiding Tenancy
The Bears’ owners, members of the McCaskey family, are believed to prefer owning their own stadium and surrounding properties, which would allow them to schedule other events and keep the revenue. That would be similar to the recently completed SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, home to the Rams and Chargers and site of the most recent Super Bowl.
Since moving to Chicago, the Bears have been a tenant in their home fields, first at the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field and since 1971 at the Chicago Park District-owned Soldier Field.
Soldier Field is the NFL’s smallest stadium, with 61,500 seats. The 98-year-old stadium also is home to Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire.
With the Bears apparently focused first on relocating to a larger, new facility in the suburbs, Lightfoot in July outlined multiple scenarios for upgrading Soldier Field, including one in which seating could be expanded to 70,000 and a dome would be added. Those changes would create more ticket revenue and allow the city to pursue year-round events, including bidding for sporting events such as the Super Bowl and NCAA basketball Final Four.
Joining Lightfoot in the July presentation was Wisconsin-based developer Bob Dunn, who has been involved in developments and redevelopments of several NFL stadiums — including the homes of all the Bears’ NFC North rivals: the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
Dunn has proposed a $20 billion development on a platform that would be built over train tracks near Soldier Field, which would include a new transit center and a row of skyscrapers.
The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field ends in 2033.