The Chicago Bears look to be abandoning their previous plans for a suburban Arlington Heights stadium and now instead intend to build a brand new domed football stadium located on the lakefront.
Just over a year ago the team bought property in Arlington Heights and announced plans to build a new multi-million-pound stadium district featuring restaurants, hotels, entertainment areas, residential buildings, and a community park.
A shift announced this morning has been attributed to property tax disputes and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s public interest in keeping the Bears in the city.
Now, the Chicago Bears are reportedly planning to invest over $2 billion of private funding into a project that would see the new stadium built around the parking lot south of Soldier Field.
According to reports, a new open space would include plazas, gardens, paths, and better green community space around the stadium as well as more lakefront access.
With more than $2 billion going into the project, the Bears hope that the new domed stadium will be able to host future Super Bowls, college basketball tournaments, and other big events.
“The Chicago Bears are proud to contribute over $2 billion to build a stadium and improve open spaces for all families, fans, and the general public to enjoy in the City of Chicago”, said Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren.
“The future stadium of the Chicago Bears will bring a transformative opportunity to our region—boosting the economy, creating jobs, facilitating mega-events, and generating millions in tax revenue” Warren continued. “We look forward to sharing more information when our plans are finalized.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Brandon Johnson, this morning released his own statement backing the Chicago Bears plans and calling them “a welcome step in that direction and a testament to Chicago’s economic vitality.”
Nothing else has been made clear about the project in terms of dates or specific details and the Chicago Bears said that more details and renderings will be released when plans are officially finalized.
Stay tuned for updates.
[Featured image from Shutterstock]