The Bears closed on Arlington Park over a month ago, but they’re no closer to breaking ground on any new developments. Bears chairman George McCaskey and incoming president/CEO Kevin Warren addressed the media at the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday, and said the team is still in the research phase of any potential development, with no timelineー and no rushー to begin construction in Arlington Heights.
“We’re now the owner of the property, so I’ve been using the analogy of people who buy a lot and decide to build a house,” McCaskey said via The Athletic. “Once you buy the lot, you’ve got to look at OK, if we’re going to put a building on here, where are we going to situate it, what’s the style going to be, what features is it going to have, how are we going to pay for it?”
That’s not surprising, as Warren and the Bears have made it clear they will plan extensively before digging their first hole in the ground. In fact, the team maintains that they haven’t decided whether or not to even build a new stadium, even though it seems highly unlikely that the team would buy 326 acres of land and opt not to build state of the art facilities there. Realistically, the Bears would both build a new stadium at Arlington Park, and develop a mixed-use area featuring restaurants, bars, entertainment and housing.
The Bears have said they do not anticipate requesting taxpayer funds for the stadium itself, but they may work with local and state officials on potential financing options for the entertainment district surrounding the stadium.
Warren doesn't officially begin working as Bears president/CEO until next month, but his experience will be invaluable for the team’s Arlington Park project. As Vikings COO, he was a key figure when U.S. Bank Stadium opened in 2016. U.S. Bank Stadium is regarded as one of the nicest venues in the NFL, and it has a fixed roof, just like the Bears want at Arlington Park. The area surrounding the stadium has been developed to accommodate other entertainment options, which again matches the Bears’ goals for their new property.
The Bears still have a lease with Soldier Field that runs through the 2033 season. They would have to pay the city to break that lease early, but any cost to do that would likely not dissuade them.
