Bears seek public funding to build venue infra

Image: MANICA

The National Football League (NFL) team Chicago Bears are seeking $855 million in public funding for infrastructure in order to build an enclosed stadium in the suburbs that could also host the Super Bowls (the annual Championship game of the National Football League (NFL) that determines the league’s season winner) and the Final Four (NFL Playoffs), according to a team consultant report released recently.

‘ESPN’ stated that though the Bears have said they plan to pay for the stadium itself they are seeking assistance to help complete the project.

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago (US). The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The 61,500-capacity Soldier Field serves as their home ground.

‘ESPN’ further stated that the report by the real estate consulting firm HR&A Advisors Inc. says the $855 million would “set the stage” for a mixed-use development anchored by a stadium on a 326-acre tract of land in Arlington Heights that the team owns. That would cover costs for roads, sewers and changes to an adjacent commuter rail line.

New York (US)-based the HR&A Advisors, Inc. (HR&A) is an employee-owned company advising public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic clients on how to increase opportunity and advance quality of life in the Cities. They believe in creating vital places, building equitable and resilient communities and improving people’s lives.

In a letter to the fans three weeks ago the Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren said “this is the year” to finalize plans so the team could bid to host a Super Bowl “as soon as 2031”. He said the stadium would “require zero State money for construction” but the team would need the legislature to pass a Bill in October to start construction this year.

That Bill would freeze property taxes for the large-scale construction projects such as the stadium. Warren maintains the bill could help create 56,000 jobs during construction and 9,000 permanent jobs.

The Bears’ focus for a new home has fluctuated between a tract of land they own in Arlington Heights to the City and then back to the suburb.

In September 2022, they unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that also called for restaurants, retail and more when they were finalizing the purchase of that site 30 miles from the Soldier Field. Their focus moved toward building a new stadium next to the Soldier Field after Warren was hired as the President two years ago to replace the retiring Ted Phillips. The plan to transform Chicago’s Museum Campus got an enthusiastic endorsement from Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson but a tepid reception from the Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the State legislators when it was announced in April 2024.

Last Spring, the team announced it was turning its attention back to Arlington Heights, citing “significant progress” with the local leaders.

Since moving to Chicago in 1921, the Bears have never owned their stadium whether playing at the 41,649-capacity Wrigley Field in Chicago from 1921 to 1970, or the Soldier Field since then.

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