The Bears look like they are done in downtown Chicago.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2021/9/29/22699836/chicago-bears-arlington-heights-park-purchase-move-stadium
Now, since I live in Arlington Heights about a 45 minute walk away from the property, I am pretty excited about this. However this take might age badly if every Sunday afternoon features drunken 300lb Bears fans wandering from the nearby downtown area into my lawn to pass out after a 31-3 loss to Green Bay.
The acreage of the property is actually bigger than that of SoFi stadium, so there will be a bunch of stuff in and around the stadium.
This is a big step beyond posturing with the city of Chicago.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2021/9/29/22699836/chicago-bears-arlington-heights-park-purchase-move-stadium
Soldier Field is the smallest stadium in the NFL, mostly due to the constraints they had to work under during their renovation nearly 20 years ago. The resulting aesthetic was that of a spaceship that landed in the middle of the original Soldier Field. Getting to and from games made getting into and out of Gillette a much more pleasant experience by comparison if you had to drive.The Bears announced Wednesday morning they have agreed to purchase the Arlington Park property in Arlington Heights, but stopped short of promising to build a new stadium there.
The purchase will take time to complete, similar to closing on a house, but Churchill Downs selected the Bears’ bid and is moving toward finalizing the sale.
“[It’s] the critical next step in continuing our exploration of the property and its potential,” team president Ted Phillips said in a statement. “Much work remains to be completed, including working closely with the Village of Arlington Heights and surrounding communities, before we can close on this transaction.
“Our goal is to chart a path forward that allows our team to thrive on the field, Chicagoland to prosper from this endeavor and the Bears organization to be ensured a strong future. We will never stop working toward delivering Bears fans the very best experience.”
Now, since I live in Arlington Heights about a 45 minute walk away from the property, I am pretty excited about this. However this take might age badly if every Sunday afternoon features drunken 300lb Bears fans wandering from the nearby downtown area into my lawn to pass out after a 31-3 loss to Green Bay.
The acreage of the property is actually bigger than that of SoFi stadium, so there will be a bunch of stuff in and around the stadium.
This is a big step beyond posturing with the city of Chicago.