The Arlington Heights Bears? Here’s what to know about the team’s possible move from Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Chicago Tribune ^ | 11-26-2021 | Chicago Tribune staff

[Salman]

The Chicago Bears have signed a purchase agreement for Arlington International Racecourse, a move that takes the team a step closer toward securing property for a new stadium and leaving their longtime home at Soldier Field.

The Bears on June 17 submitted one of multiple bids to purchase the Arlington Heights property, which Churchill Downs Inc. last winter announced would be up for sale for redevelopment.

Bears President and CEO Ted Phillips said in a statement that finalizing the agreement was the “critical next step in continuing our exploration of the property and its potential.” Churchill Downs announced the sale price was $197.2 million and said it anticipated closing the sale in late 2022 or early 2023.

...

[Salman]

For some reason not connected to football, people don't want to come into downtown Chicago any more.
And Arlington Heights is almost as convenient to public transportation.

So I say it's a good business move. Most of the Chicago Bears fan base are from the suburbs.
That is to say the paying fan base.

Glad I don't live too near the new location.

Also, I said goodbye to the NFL long ago.

[Lurker]

The traffic is going to be a nightmare on game days.

L

[Rummyfan]

For some reason not connected to football, people don't want to come into downtown Chicago any more.

Gee, what could it be?!

[UB355]

not a problem some grifter politicians will raid the public troffers and get some roads improved and line their pockets

[scrabblehack]

Would the plan be to put the football field in the infield of the race course?

From the looks of it, if they did that they’d have to install a whole lot more seats.

Isn’t horse racing a somewhat dying sport? This might revive it somewhat.

[usconservative]

You bet it is. The roads in and out of Arlington Park Racetrack won't be able to handle the load of traffic that home games present. Bears Fans are going to be sitting in traffic for hours before & after games.

I've been to Arlington Park racetrack and been on those roads. It's going to be a nightmare until those roads are expanded.

[Lurker]

“Isn’t horse racing a somewhat dying sport? This might revive it somewhat.”

There’s a lot of back story here. The State of Illinois basically taxed Arlington Race Park out of business. It’s owned by one of the richest guys in the State.

L

[Dr. Sivana]

Would the plan be to put the football field in the infield of the race course?

Right property, but an entirely new stadium will be built. The NFL doesn't do multi-purpose stadiums anymore. Oakland was the last one.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

They just rebuilt Soldier Field not too long ago.
Probably will change the stadium name and its history too.
New stadium will have a statue of a thug holding a gun sideways and a statue of a bany Momma crying in the background.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Baby

[Lurker]

“ It’s going to be a nightmare until those roads are expanded.”

Good luck with that. It’s surrounded by suburban subdivisions and I believe some Cook County FPD property would be involved too.

The lawsuits alone would take decades to clear up.

L

[usconservative]

We're about to see massive Eminent Domain so a pro football team can trample over homeowner rights, private property rights, etc..

I hate the Bears. I really do. Fire Nagy. Tell the Bears to move to Iowa. The two embarassments deserve each other.

[Lurker]

“We’re about to see massive Eminent Domain so a pro football team can trample over homeowner rights, private property rights, etc..”

They did it to Bensenville so what’s to stop this?

L

[vexit]

Those Amish savages.

[StAnDeliver]

Average Bears attendance is only double Arlington Million Day attendance, which was often capacity 35K, and was not difficult to get in or out of with ground parking and mostly just access from Euclid.

The property lays out like a dream for a remake of Hwy 53 at 14 with a spur to feed the parking in and out. And there's already a METRA stop on the grounds.

[usconservative]

I was struggling to remember Bensenville and you're exactly right.

We both know who's going to pay for all that Eminent Domain expansion, and it won't be the Bears or McCaskey family.

BOHICA.

[nascarnation]

Good opportunity for the displaced folks to move to a better place. Florida, Texas, even Indiana if they don’t want to be too far from family.

[South Dakota]

I have friends that once lived near downtown Chicago.

They scrammed out of there

[StAnDeliver]

326 acres. YUGE footprint.

[DoodleDawg]

For some reason not connected to football, people don't want to come into downtown Chicago any more. And Arlington Heights is almost as convenient to public transportation.

Where people want to go means nothing. The Bears want the new stadium and extra revenue that comes from developing the property. Arlington Park is also in the middle of a residential area. I'm sure the people around there are just thrilled at the possibility of a Bears stadium across the street.